Rescue Me
by LittleReporterGirl
Summary: The Death Eater, Severus Snape, rescues a baby whose Mother has died. What will he do with her? Will he take care of her or pass her off to a more capable parent, never to see her again? This is the best summary i can do right not, sorries
1. Prologue

**Author's Note: **Hello all! So here is a new fanfic for you all to read. I promise it won't be as long as "Dreams" or "Eyes of a Tiger" which, I'll admit, was a little ridiculous in length (almost 500 pages typed). I think it's becoming obvious that I have a "problem"- an obsession, if you will, with Harry Potter. Well, technically with Severus Snape. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this new fanfic and please Read and Review, because you know I thrive off reviews. Also don't expect many updates because I don't have internet at the moment. (I'm borrowing someones, so to speak, to upload this). Thanks all and Happy Reading! J

~TheVampyre13

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Harry Potter, and all that jazz.

**Prologue**

_(About 2 years before baby Harry Potter first vanquished the Dark Lord)_

It was a dark and stormy December night and Severus Snape pulled his cloak tighter around himself as he made his way up the streets. Rain poured down from the sky, making it nearly impossible to see with his Death Eater mask on. Annoyed, he ripped the mask off his face. The only reason he was wearing it was because he'd just been to an assembly of Death Eaters. The Dark Lord had summoned them to discuss his plans to overthrow the Minister of Magic. The reason he was now making his way up the street through the hellish storm was because one Death Eater, a young woman by the name of Lynn Rahl, had not shown up when the Dark Lord had called them.

Snape only knew the girl by sight. They'd worked together on a few assignments but had never really talked. He knew her name was Lynn Rahl, she was in her early 20s, she'd been in Slytherin, she lived at 321 Bakers Lane, and she was pregnant. Not _very _pregnant, but still pregnant.

He couldn't see the houses well but from what he could see they appeared shabby. Even worse that his own house, which he knew was rather shabby itself. When he finally reached house number 321, there were no candles burning in the windows or any source of light at all. Growing slightly wary, he pulled his wand out. He tried the front door but it was locked. He easily unlocked it with a spell. He then lit his wand tip and stepped inside.

He stepped directly into a small sitting room. The roof was leaking badly and the carpet was soaked with rain water. The sitting room was void of anything except a small couch which looked old and was ripped in a few places. A sudden quiet nosie alerted his senses and he stood absolutely still, listening. Perhaps it was a rat? He didn't doubt that there were rats or mice somewhere in this house. But no- there it was again! Bigger than a rat. A dog perhaps? It was coming from the next room.

Wand held aloft, Snape made his way into the next room, which was a bedroom and the only other room in the house. The room at first appeared empty, but the light of his wand fell upon a figure on the floor. He took an automatic step backwards when he saw it was Lynn. She lay in a pool of blood and her clouded green eyes stared unseeing up at the ceiling. She was dead.

The noise came again and Snape aimed his wand towards the source of the sound. That's when the light of his wand landed on the infant, laying a few feet away from its mother. She was small and bloody, but she was alive. Shocked, Snape removed his cloak and wrapped it around the small baby, whose skin was blue-ish from the cold. He knew he had to get the child out of here. With one last glance at the dead girl on the floor, Snape held the child close to his chest and Disapparated.

The moment they Apparated into his dark sitting room, the baby began to scream at the top of its lungs. He rocked the child in his arms frantically, shushing it. That's when it occurred to him that he really had no idea what to do with a half-dead, screaming, child…but he knew someone who would.

"I'm going to have to Apparate with you again if you want to live," he said to the child, who was just beginning to cease crying, which might actually be a bad thing. Gnawing his lip anxiously he prepared to Disapparate. He could only hope that the presence of a child in need would diffuse any anger she felt for him.

This time when they Apparated it was into the grassy front yard of a house that had protective enchantments around it. The windows in the house were dark, but as soon as Snape Apparated the child began to cry again. Presently a light appeared in one of the windows and a moment later the front door opened. Snape refused to look at her as the woman approached, instead keeping his eyes on the screaming child.

"Oh my god. Where did she come from?" the woman asked, taking the child from him. The child immediately ceased crying.

"Her mother's dead. She was born early, I think. I mean, I don't know for certain. I'm not good at the whole baby thing, I…" he trailed off, feeling like an idiot, like he always did around her.

"She's not yours, is she?"

Snape shook his head silently, still not looking at her.

The woman started towards the house where she had left the door open, taking the baby with her. Snape hesitated a moment before following her.

She took the baby into a kitchen. She flipped a switch on the wall and light flooded the room. Snape blinked up at the light fixture. He'd almost forgotten about Muggle electricity. He'd used it when he was young but in the past few years he'd been living solely as a wizard, with candles and lanterns and torches.

"Hold her a moment," the woman said, placing the child back in his arms. The baby stared up at him, frowning, while the woman began to run warm water in the sink. A moment later she took the baby back and placed her in the warm water.

Snape looked up at the woman for the first time since he appeared in her yard. Her pale, slightly freckled face was even more beautiful than he remembered. Her long red hair seemed straighter now than it had when she was younger. She wore Muggle clothing- jeans and a black sweater. For a moment her emerald eyes met his black ones, then she glanced away, back down at the baby.

"Severus, go into the bathroom and get the soap. It's in a red bottle," she instructed, pointing towards a door down the hall. He started to, then paused.

"Where's Potter?" he asked through clenched teeth.

"Not here," she said dismissively, "He went to go help Sirius with something. The soap, please, Severus."

He obeyed immediately- he couldn't say no to her, especially when she said please. He returned with the soap, which smelled of raspberries, and stood nearby while Lily bathed the baby. She cooed to the child in a motherly fashion and the baby didn't cry anymore. Once she had finished cleaning the child, she sent Snape into the other room to fetch a soft, fuzzy blanket from her room. He obeyed, going into the next room where a large, king-sized bed took up nearly the whole room. The bed was decorated with red and gold satin and Snape couldn't help but think to himself that this was where James Potter had sex with Lily…_his _Lily. The thought made him want to punch the wall, but he refrained. He grabbed the blue fuzzy blanket off the bed, the only thing that was not Gryffindor colors.

He returned to the kitchen with the blanket and Lily dried the baby off before wrapping her in the blanket. She held her a moment, gazing down at her, before heading into the sitting room. Snape followed. Lily rearranged a few pillows on the large couch and placed the baby on the couch in a way that she would not be able to roll off. Lily then motioned for him to follow her back into the kitchen. He lingered in the doorway, wanting to keep an eye on the baby. Lily retrieved a cup from the cupboard and used her wand to transfigure it into a baby bottle. She got some milk from the fridge, poured it in the bottle, and heated it up with her wand. Then they returned to the living room.

Snape picked up the child and Lily handed him the bottle. Feeling clumsy and awkward, Snape held the bottle to the baby's lips. The baby stared up at him unblinkingly, not attempting to drink the milk. With a small smile, Lily readjusted his arms so that he was holding the child differently. Then she led the bottle to the baby's mouth. A moment passed, then the child began to suck hungrily. Snape let out a short, uncertain laugh, looking down at the feeding child. The child blinked sleepily up at him with large emerald eyes that were almost an exact match to those of the woman sitting across from him. He could see little wisps of blonde hair framing the baby's face.

"Who did she belong to?" Lily asked quietly.

"Lynn Rahl. You wouldn't have known her. She was in Slytherin and…she was just a kid herself really. In her early 20s."

"She was a Death Eater?"

Snape didn't say anything, but met her gaze. She glanced back down at the baby after a moment.

"She died giving birth?" Lily asked.

"I…assume so. I didn't check for signs of foul play. I was sent to check on her when she didn't arrive for a…meeting. She was lying in a pool of blood. The child was a few feet away."

"You don't know who the father is?"

"No. I didn't know Lynn that well."

"What're you going to do with her?"

"Well I figured I'd send someone back for her body once the storm let up-"

"Not the woman, the child."

"Oh," Snape said, again feeling like an idiot, "…I was rather hoping that _you _might take her?"

"Severus…I wish I could. There's no way I can raise a child in the midst of all this. We have to change houses every few weeks. You know _he's _after us. The fact that you found me is a bit unnerving actually."

"I always know where you are…but I would never betray you."

"…Isn't there someone else you could take the child to? Someone who's _not _a Death Eater?"

He was silent a moment, thinking.

"Yes, I suppose. I have a younger cousin who lives in Diagon Alley. She owns a bookshop. The child will be safe with her."

Snape got to his feet with the child who had just fallen asleep in his arms. She immediately began to fuss and she turned her little head towards Lily.

"She doesn't want to leave," Snape said with a soft laugh. Lily smiled.

"…You should leave. And you can't come back here again. If James caught you…"

"I can handle James," he said hotly, "I'm not like I was when I was in school. …but you're right. I won't come back again. The only reason I came now is because I needed help for the child."

Snape prepared to Disapparate and Lily looked up at him, her green eyes reflecting sadness.

"Goodbye Severus," she said quietly, "Take care of the child. Keep an eye on her."

" I will. Goodbye. …and Lily?"

"Hm?"

"…I'm sorry."

Then he Disapparated with a pop.

He appeared with the child in the middle of Diagon Alley and immediately began making his way towards his cousin's house. The child was crying again and he tried talking softly to her and even cooing to her as Lily had.

"Don't worry, that's the last time we have to Apparate, I promise," he said quietly, almost gently. He hurried down the street, trying to remember exactly where it was. Then he found it- Cain's Books. The shop itself was dark, but Snape knew she had a room in back that she slept in. He knocked loudly on the door for about two minutes before it was opened by a black-haired, black-eyed woman. She wore only a nightgown and she looked sleepy and irritated. She threw open the door, her wand immediately at his throat.

"Severus? Is that you?" she said uncertainly.

Ellen Cain had a faint Irish accent. Her mother had been sister to Snape's mother Eileen. Ellen's father had been an Irishman and she'd grown up with his accent. Snape used to tease her about it when they were younger.

"Yes, yes. Lower your wand, you're frightening the child," he said, looking down at the baby who had begun to bawl. _She sure does cry a lot, _he thought to himself.

"Child? What child?" asked Ellen Cain, stepping aside to let Snape in. He made his way through the rows and rows of books to the back of the store where Ellen had a small sitting room, a kitchen, and a bedroom. He sat down on the small couch in the sitting room, the child resting in his arms, and Ellen sat down beside him. He immediately passed the baby off to her.

"She's an orphan. I'll spare you the unpleasantries. Suffice to say her mother is dead. She was born early, I believe, but apparently not too early. There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with her. I took her to a friend who cleaned her up and cared for her a bit. She hasn't anyone to go to except the orphanage and I'd rather her not end up there. I can't care for her. …She'd be safe here," he said added, looking around, "You don't have any Death Eater affiliation. You're pure blood. No one wants you dead."

Ellen was looking down at the baby and he could already tell from the tender look in her black eyes that she would take her.

"You're right," she said after a moment, "She'll be better off here than in an orphanage. I'll take her."

"Thank you," Snape breathed, relief emenating through him.

He left his cousins house a short while later without the baby. He stopped under a streetlamp to check his watch. He'd spent almost two hours caring for a baby he had no relation to. It was most unlike him. He ran his fingers through his black hair. It felt almost…nice, knowing that he had saved the child from a life of growing up in a Muggle orphanage. Ellen was a witch, she'd raise the child properly. He had decided almost immediately upon finding the child not to tell the Dark Lord about her. Lord only knows what he would have done with the child if he had got his hands on her…


	2. Chapter 1

_**(11 years later)**_

_**Olivia's POV**_

I never really realized how different I was from other children until the day I started Hogwarts. I knew I was different from the books I had read, of course. I didn't have a Mother and Father like most people or any relatives at all that I knew of. The closest thing I had to a Mother was Ellen, who always insisted I call her by her first name, not Mum, Mom, or Mommy. She told me I was adopted, that she didn't give birth to me. Some people might have thought it was weird, but it was all I ever knew, so it seemed normal to me. I didn't live in a house like other boys and girls- I lived in a bookstore. Personally I loved living in the bookstore. I learned to read at age 3, which Ellen remarked was abnormally young, and by age 6 I was reading books on magic and potions. 

Ellen wanted me to have a head start on the other children so she began teaching me spells with her wand at a young age. By the time I was 8 I could perform simple spells with her wand. I could also brew a few useful Potions, which I thought were fun but Ellen thought was time-consuming and boring. 

"You'll be glad when you start school," she told me, "There's a whole class period devoted to Potions. I almost failed it when I was in school. The Potions Master is a cousin of mine. I haven't heard from him in years- I hope he's still up there when you start school so you can yell at him for me."

I had lived in Diagon Alley my whole life so when my acceptance letter from Hogwarts came and Mom took me around to get my school supplies, the shops were nothing new to me. When I went in to get my first wand, there was a group of small children whispering fervently in a corner. I greeted the shop keeper, Mr. Ollivander, who used to baby-sit me when I was young.

"How are you this morning Ms. Cain?" he asked, his smile making his face look even older.

"Good."

"How's your Mother?"

"Ellen's fine. She went down to Madame Malkin's for my school robes. I'm here to get my first wand."

"Ah. You'll have to wait. I'm afraid they were first."

I nodded briefly and went to sit on a stool in the corner, where I had often sat as a child, watching Ollivander helping wand and wizard unite. 

I was excited about getting my very own wand, but it didn't radiate off me like it did the other young wizards in the shop. The boy whose wand arm Ollivander was measuring was trembling he was so excited. I found myself wondering if he was Muggleborn. I had read about witches and wizards who were born to Muggle parents. It had seemed impossible to me, but Ellen assured me it was true. She told me there was some people who thought they were lesser wizards because of it and even some who hated Muggleborns and any interrelations between them and wizards, but she encouraged me not to discriminate, especially when it came to blood status. Most pureblood wizards did, she told me, but I shouldn't because I might not even be pureblood. We had no way of knowing if I was pureblood because I was adopted. 

Once the three kids were united with their first wands, they left the shop. Ollivander got out his magical tape measurer, which began to measure the length of my arm by itself, then my forearm, hand with, wrist circumference… When the magical measuring tape was finally satisfied, Ollivander began prowling the shelves for a suitable wand. I trailed behind him curiously, almost crashing into him when he stopped abruptly to pull a wand off the shelf.

"Try this one," he said, removing a wand made of white wood from its box. I took the wand and knew immediately it would not be mine. I had seen dozens of wands choose wizards over the years and each time they did something special. I waved it nonetheless and boxes rocketed off the shelves.

"Oh dear. Well, no hard done. On to the next one," said Ollivander.

We spent the next hour and a half going through wands. Finally, Ollivander let out a sigh and, frowning slightly, motioned for me to follow him to a room in the back which was always locked. He unlocked it and, curious, I stepped inside. This room was filled with endless books and records except for one wall, which had a shelf with several stacks of boxes.

"These are all experimental wands that never chose owners. Some have unusual cores or are made of rare wood," Ollivander told me, "Why don't you look through them- maybe one will strike your fancy."

"What if it doesn't? What if a wand doesn't choose me?"

"Don't fret, Miss Cain. I've never been unable to unite a witch or wizard with a wand before," Ollivander assured me.

I went through several odd wands before I found it. It was long, slender, and gray. As soon as I touched it, I knew it was the one- a warmth spread through my fingers and a warm blue light surrounded me. Ollivander looked surprised.

"Curious…" he remarked quietly.

The warmth spread through me and for a moment, I felt invincible and powerful.

"It's 10 inches long, made of willow wood. The core was a first- heartstring of a Hydrus," Ollivander said as I followed him up to the register, "I was lucky enough to encounter one a few years back. You know dragon heartstring is quite common as a wand core and how different are they really?"

I merely nodded my head, not wanting to admit that I had no idea what a Hydrus was. 

Ellen met me outside of Ollivanders a few minutes later. She held my school robes in a bag beneath her arm.

"All you have left are Potions ingredients and a cauldron," she said to me.

"To the Apothecary!" I declared, excited.

When I had first developed a love of Potions a few years back, I would come to the Apothecary almost every day, just to examine ingredients, peer at slimy things in jars, and run my fingers through the barrel of glittering black beetle eyes. One of the store clerks sometimes let me help out around the store- sweeping, stocking shelves. To them it was work that needed to be done, but I enjoyed it. 

As I gathered the required Potions ingredients listed on the list of school supplies that had come with my letter to Hogwarts, Ellen had to convince me not to buy the gold cauldron I'd had my eye on for years.

"If you want to impress the Potions Master you should just do as you're told. The list says pewter, size 2," she told me, "In fact, showing off with fancy, expensive equipment isn't the best way to impress the Potions master."

"I don't care about impressing the teacher, I care about the Art of Potions," I said haughtily. I had began calling Potions an Art when I came across the term while reading. Ellen rolled her eyes when I did this- she just thought of Potions as a school subject.

"You should want to impress Severus- he's your second cousin. My mother and his mother were sisters. You should want him to be pleased with you if you want to learn about Potions. He was always experimenting with Potions and spells when we were younger. He and his girlfriend were top of the class in Potions. He's quite bright, really. He has a lot to teach to anyone who cares enough to learn."

When Ellen and I returned home, we went into our bookstore and found the books I needed for school. Most young witches and wizards went to Flourish and Blott's to get their schoolbooks, but Ellen always kept them in stock just in case.

I stayed up nearly all night, pouring over my schoolbooks, even though I had read them all before. Ellen didn't mind that I stayed up all night. She had never given me a bedtime or curfew before. I didn't have many of the rules and restrictions normal kids did. The only rule she had ever given me was not to go down Knockturn Alley and I had defied that by the time I was seven. I only ever went down there once- it had been dark and creepy. The people there were as dark and creepy as the alley. They had all looked as if they belonged either in prison or an asylum. One man with dirty gray hair, a tangled matted beard, and clouded gray eyes that stared in opposite directions was standing in front of a flickering streetlamp, muttering to himself in a foreign language- French possibly. His head had whipped towards me suddenly, both his clouded eyes focusing on me.

"_Petite Ange…_" he whispered in French, "_Petite Ange…_"

He started to advance towards me and I took a step backwards. Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, a hand closed around my upper arm. I let out a shriek ad the hand had pulled me around so that I was facing a man. He wore solid black robes, a black cloak, and meticulously shined shoes. He had black hair and glittering black eyes that reminded me of the beetle eyes in the Apothecary. 

"You shouldn't be doen here alone, girl. It's not safe," said the man and he pulled me back the way I had come.

"I was…lost," I said, tripping over my feet as I tried to match the pace at which he was pulling me.

"Don't lie to me, girl. You were defying your mother."

I stared at him in awe. 

"You're not…You're not St. Nicholas, are you?" I asked fearfully. (I wasn't the brightest of children, but I had heard that St. Nicholas knew _everything, _including when little girls were lying."

To my surprise, the man let out a dry laugh.

"No. I'm not St. Nicholas. I just know where people are lying to me."

"Who _are _you, then?"

"…Just a concerned patron. Don't worry about it, Olivia," he said to me. It didn't occur to me until we were back in the sun-lit Diagon Alley that I had never told the stranger my name.

"Hey! How did you-?"

But by the time I had turned around, he was gone. Vanished. 

This was the first of several encounters I had with the dark stranger during my childhood. Sometimes I would merely catch glimpses of him, in various shops or on the street. It seemed like every time I saw him, it was merely a glimpse, then he would disappear when I looked again. He always seemed to show up when I needed him most. 

Once when I was about nine I was walking around Diagon Alley. Ellen was getting ready to go out on a date and I didn't feel like being cooped up in the house. She'd given me some money and told me I could go get some ice cream. I was about halfway to the ice cream shop when a boy knocked into me, snatching the money from my hand as he did so. He took off running before I had a chance to react. I was about to start after him when the dark stranger appeared, wand in hand. He gave his wand a brisk flourish and the thieving boy tripped and fell flat on the ground. The stranger strode forward and snatched my money out of the thief's hand.

"How degrading- stealing from a little girl! Do you feel proud of yourself?" snapped the stranger to the thief. He turned on his heel and walked back to me. He handed me my money and walked past me.

"Hey! Aren't you-?" I began, but he had disappeared. The thief got up slowly with a groan, massaging his ribs. His nose was bleeding. He glanced at me.

"Looks like you've got yourself a guardian angel, kid," he said to me, then skulked off down the alley. From that day on I thought of him as my guardian angel and whenever I caught a glimpse of him in Diagon Alley I tried to follow him, but he always managed to disappear in the end.

**Severus' POV**

I barely finished writing the schedules for my 3rd year students in time for the start-of-term feast. I caught myself thinking about her as I made my way up to the Great Hall- the child that I had saved. I had checked up on her throughout the years, not because I _wanted _to, but because I had promised Lily. It was one of the last thing I ever said to her.

I knew the child's name was Olivia and that she loved animals and books and Potions. I hadn't actually been introduced to her since I hadn't spoken to Ellen in years. I didn't want Olivia to know about me. So it might be considered stalking, my keeping an eye on Olivia, but I had made a promise and I intended to keep it. 

I sat at the staff table at the head of the hall with the other teachers when the train arrived and the students began to pour into the Great Hall. Minerva, the Transfiguration teacher and deputy headmistress left her seat at the staff table to go and fetch the first years who were being brought to the castle in boats by he groundskeeper, Hagrid. The chattering of the hundreds of students already in the hall gave me a headache and I was barely listening to Kent, the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher- or this year's anyway- who was talking vehemently beside me. I wasn't even entirely sure what she was talking about and when the door to the Great Hall opened. I abandoned all pretense of listening. My eyes found her immediately amongst the sea of children following Minerva into the hall. I was immediately struck by her uncanny resemblance to Lily Evans and my heart felt torn open, as if it were being ripped from my chest. It was cruel fate that she should so greatly resemble Lily. Ellen had allowed Olivia to dye her hair red a few weeks before school started, not knowing that every time I saw her- on the street, in a store, through a window, and now at school- it was pure emotional agony. 

I kept my face studiously blank, not revealing the emotional hell within me, as I watched her, studying her curiously. While most of the other first years looked excited or nervous or frightened, Olivia appeared unfazed. While the others whispered to their newfound friends, Olivia stood alone, her eyes roaming the hall, then coming to rest on Minerva, who was bringing out the old Sorting Hat on a stool.

A hush fell over the students and staff as the Sorting Hat opened its brim wide to sing. I had been subjected to the singing hat's advice for over two decades- non-consecutive, of course- and I had long ago learned to tune it out. Olivia appeared to be ignoring it as well. She was looking around the hall, a slight frown on her naturally pale face. Suddenly, her head jerked towards the staff table, her emerald eyes focused directly on me. This startled me slightly and I immediately focused my attention on the Sorting Hat, which was finishing its song:

"…_Death in the end will rue_

_Love always triumphs in the end_

_As long as one and one are two_

_The sun that sets will rise again._

_Now, my advice is through_

_So let the Sorting now begin."_

The Great Hall erupted in applause which I joined half-heartedly, wondering what on Earth the hat was talking about. I didn't believe that everything it said was a load of waffle, like most people did. I knew it lived in Dumbledore's office and sometimes picked up on things. Still, I had no idea what it could be talking about.

I chanced a passing glance over Olivia again, only to find her still looking at me, a curious expression on her face. Minerva began calling up the first years on by one to try on the Sorting Hat and be Sorted. The first three were Sorted into Gryffindor. Then came a few Ravenclaws and a Hufflepuff. Then, Minerva called her name.

"Cain, Olivia," she said. Now I had an excuse to look at her. She was no longer looking at me, but kept her eyes straight ahead as she walked unconcernedly towards the stool. Curious, I probed her mind. Only then could I tell how eager and excited she was on the inside. I could also sense an underlying, burning curiosity about me. She had memories of me, I was surprised to find. The most vivid memory in her mind was one where I had found her in Knockturn Alley. There were a few brief memories- flashes of me spotted in Diagon Alley, in various shops, that I had not been aware of. 

Olivia sat on the stool and Minerva placed the hat on her head. She clasped her hands in her lap and didn't fidget like kids usually did. I waited impatiently, wondering. What House would she be in? Gryffindor, as Lily had been? Ravenclaw, as Ellen had been and Olivia's intelligence would suggest? Or Hufflepuff, as her intense love of animals might suggest?

Or perhaps-

"Slytherin!" cried the Sorting Hat and my heart leapt. I had hoped she would be in my own house, but I hadn't expected it, especially with her love of animals. By nature, Slytherins weren't generally loving people. I clapped loudly as she went to sit at the Slytherin Table. 

When the Sorting was over, the start-of-term feast began. After everyone had eaten their fill, Dumbledore made a few start-of-term announcements, then it was time for the students to go to bed. I lingered a moment, talking to Dumbledore.

"I couldn't help but notice you seemed particularly interested in a young red-headed Slytherin girl," Dumbledore said to me. I glanced around to make sure no one was listening.

"She's my cousin's daughter," I admitted finally, "Her name's Olivia Cain."

"She's Ellen Cain's daughter?" he inquired.

"Yes."

"Really?" Dumbledore said, looking at me in a way that felt like he was x-raying me.

"No," I replied reluctantly.

"No?"

"She's adopted."

"Ah. Why so interested in her?"

"She's related to me, that's all."

Once I escaped Dumbledore's line of questioning, I went to patrol the dungeons to make sure no students were sneaking about. I had just stepped into the Entrance Hall when a voice from the shadows startled me. 

"Oi! Who _are _you?"

I whirled around to see Olivia step out of the shadows. I said nothing but frowned at her.

"Sorry if I scared you," she said with a smirk.

"It takes a lot more than that to scare me," I said dryly.

"You're my cousin, aren't you?" she asked, sounding faintly amused.

"Ellen is my cousin, yes."

"I've seen you around Diagon Alley before, but I didn't know it was you. Ellen says you haven't seen us in years. Why?"

"I have my reasons. You should be in your dormitory by now. First year students aren't allowed out this late. Do you even know where your house Common Room is?"

"No," she replied unconcernedly.

"You were supposed to follow the Slytherin Prefects to the house Common Room."

"Yes but I was waiting for you. So I could talk to you. Besides, _you _can show me where the house Common Room is. Some big older boy with a gap between his teeth said you were Head of Slytherin House. …You're also the Potions Master, aren't you?" she asked coolly.

"Yes. So?"

"I like Potions."

"Well it'll be one of your required classes up until your 6th years. Then you can take NEWT-level classes, _if _you're good enough to get an Outstanding on your OWLs, which few possess the talent to do."

"Is it really that difficult a subject?"

"Most children don't possess the patience and skill it takes to master the Art that is Potions."

For some reason this made her smile. I raised an eyebrow.

"Ellen always rolls her eyes when I call Potions and Art," she explained. I smiled slightly- Ellen had done the same to me since we were children.

"Your mother never was any good at Potions."

"Oh Ellen isn't my mother. I'm adopted," she stated matter-of-factly.

"Really?"

I wondered if Ellen had told her about my role in her "adoption". I certainly hadn't expected my cousin to tell her she was adopted, but I suppose she knew the best way to raise her.

I led Olivia down into the dungeons and showed her the hidden panel that concealed the Slytherin Common Room.

"The password is Rattlesnake. It changes every few weeks, I informed her as the hidden door slid open.

"Thanks…cousin," she said with a wry smile.

"It's Snape…or rather, Professor Snape."

"So your name is- what did Ellen say- Severus? Severus Snape?" she said, grinning.

"Yes. So?" I asked, eyes narrowing.

"It's a funny name," she replied innocently.

I didn't enjoy being laughed at but it was hard to be mad at those innocent green eyes.

"That's quite enough, Miss Cain," I said sternly, "To bed."

She nodded obediently and at once turned, smiling, and went into the Slytherin Common Room.

_**Olivia's POV**_

There were a few people in the Common Room when I entered, but hardly any of them looked at me. I thought I had successfully avoided anyone's attention when a pretty girl with light brown skin approached me, frowning.

"You're a first-year, aren't you?" she asked me. I studied her silently. Her voice had a slight accent to it- Spanish, perhaps? She looked to be about a year older than me. Her eyes were like brown almonds and her silky black hair hung loose around her shoulders. She was probably the skinniest person I had ever seen. 

"Maybe I am a first year. So what?" I asked, cautious as ever.

"You didn't come in with the others. First years aren't supposed to wander around the castle alone," she responded.

"You gonna rat on me?"

She looked thoughtful.

"…No," she said decisively, "But you're lucky you didn't get caught by the caretaker Mr. Filch- or Professor Snape, who can sometimes be even worse than Filch if you catch him in one of his moods."

This captured my interest immediately. I wanted to find out more about my mysterious cousin. My "guardian angel" from my childhood, who had been there nearly every time something bad happened to me, was the Potions master at Hogwarts. And he wasn't anything like an angel. I wanted to find out as much about him as I could.

"That's the Potions Mater, right? Is he a difficult teachers?"

"With a nasty temper," she said, "And a passion for the Dark Arts. Most of us Slytherins like him- he tends to favor us over the other Houses, especially Gryffindor. They're your natural rivals, you know?"

"Is he a good teacher though?"

"If you like the subject, yeah, I suppose. He can be extremely degrading at times. He's very critical. You'll probably have your first class with him tomorrow or the next day…then you'll see how he can be."

The next morning at breakfast the Heads of Houses passed out schedules. McGonagall, a short wizard, and an older woman wearing an apron covered in dirt, all passed out their students schedules by hand. Snape came to the head of Slytherin Table, his wand in his hand, leading a trail of papers behind him. With a flourish of his wand, the schedules began to float towards whichever student's name was on the paper. 

"Cool," said one of the first years, sitting across from me.

"He always does that," said a dismissive voice behind me. It was the girl from last night, whose name, I'd found out from one of the other students, was Mari Pirelli.

"He does it so he doesn't have to talk to us," Mari said to me, sitting down beside me.

"You're sure he's not just showing off?" I asked her.

"Nah. At least, I don't think so. He doesn't seem like the show-offy type."

"No, perhaps not," I said with a small smile.

"Why're you so interested in Professor Snape anyway?" Marie asked, scrutinizing me as my eyes followed Snape out of the Great Hall. 

"He just seems…interesting," I replied with a shrug. I didn't want anyone to know he was my cousin, at least not yet. I was saved from further questioning by the sound of flapping wings which filled the air. Several people looked up, most of them first-years. It was a cloud of owls- hundreds of owls- all bearing letters or packages of some kind. 

One tawny owl landed in front of Mari and she took a newspaper form it. She scrounged around in her pocket a moment, then paid the bird. I pulled a piece of crust off my toast and offered it to the owl, who gulped it down gratefully. I stroked its soft feathers and the bird hooted dolefully.

"You're good with animals," Mari remarked as the owl flew away.

"I love animals," Mari remarked as the owl flew away.

"I love animals. I want to be a veterinarian when I leave school."

"A veteri- what?"

"Veterinarian. A doctor for animals. They have them in the Muggle-world. I've read about them. I'm going to be the first witch veterinarian ever…that I know of, anyway."

My first class of the day was Charms. I expected to be good at it- it was one of Ellen's favorite subjects so she had started with that when she began to teach me magic. I did not, however, expect Professor Fliwtick- he was a short, balding wizard who was head of Ravenclaw- to start off the class by teaching us "proper wand-waving techniques" which we were to work on for the next few weeks. Needless to say I was disappointed and by the time I reached Transfiguration my expectations had been drastically lowered.

McGonagall, who had given me the impression of being a strict teacher the first time I saw her, began the class with a lecture about how important our grades were. When she finally began talking about Transfiguration I was bored out of my mind. She was like a talking textbook with a Scottish accent. I was absently sketching the owl from earlier on the corner of my parchment, under the pretense of taking notes, when McGonagall _transformed into a cat _and jumped onto my desk!

"Whoa!" cried various classmates, "Cool!"

I was, admittedly, impressed as well, but I didn't let it show. I kept my cool demeanor.

"Did you transfigure yourself or are you an animagus?" I asked curiously, looking her over. 

I had never seen a cat sit so stiffly or look so displeased. She was a grey tabby and had markings around her eyes that resembled McGonagall's glasses. My guess was Animagus. The cat gave an irritable flick of her ears, then leapt off the desk and transformed back into McGonagall.

"An Animagus, of course. Only a fool would transfigure themselves into an animal- you wouldn't be able to transfigure yourself back. Now Miss-?"

"Cain. Olivia Cain."

"Miss Cain, if you would kindly pay attention? We'll be transfiguring matchsticks into needles today."

"Oh are we actually going to use magic in this class?" I inquired without thinking. McGonagall looked down at me, frowning, her eyes glittering.

"You can pass out the matchsticks, Miss Cain," she said dryly. I shrugged indifferently and passed out the matchsticks to my classmates.

I didn't have much practice in Transfiguration- for some reason, Ellen had avoided the subject. I didn't get it on the first try but after watching McGonagall a few times and observing the failures of my classmates, I finally managed to transfigure my matchstick. McGonagall looked insultingly disbelieving and insisted I repeat the feat four times before she grudgingly awarded ten points to Slytherin.

My next class was Herbology. I didn't particularly enjoy getting my hands dirty, but I knew a lot about plants and their uses from reading, especially in regard to potions. Professor Sprout, who was the witch I had seen passing out schedules to the Hufflepuffs, was impressed by my knowledge and awarded house points freely.

By the end of the day I had earned Slytherin over 30 house points. I hadn't exactly made friends with any of my classmates- they didn't interest me much and I thought they were rather slow- but they liked me well enough because of the points I had earned us and didn't seem to mind the fact I didn't talk to them. A few of them probably thought I was stuck-up but I didn't really care what they thought. At dinner Mari sat with me, talking about classes and congratulating me. As I ate, I noticed Snape sitting at the staff table, talking to McGonagall. He caught my eye and smirked slightly. Curious, I lingered in the Entrance Hall after dinner so I could talk to him, though this time I didn't sneak up on him. 

**Snape's POV**

I wasn't surprised to find Olivia waiting for me in the Entrance Hall. She grinned when she saw me and I let out an exasperated sigh.

"You're somewhat irritating, you know that?"

I wasn't _really _irritated with her but I didn't like children. …Then again, I _had _saved her life. She had become rather interesting to me. Still, it was best to not let her know this. 

"I know I'm irritating. I don't care," she responded. 

I had to bite back a laugh, hiding it with a scowl and motioning for her to follow me. 

I led Olivia down into the dungeons, past the empty Potions classroom, to my office. I unlocked the door with a nonverbal spell and opened the door. Olivia walked in and looked around. Her facial expression was a difficult read.

"It is grotesquely awesome," she declared after a moment, seeing that I was watching her reaction. I shook my head and sat down at my desk. Instead of sitting down, Olivia began to walk around the room, peering into the jars of various things that lined my shelves. 

"I heard you made friends with McGonagall," I remarked dryly, "She made a point of telling me during dinner about "an obstinately rude girl from Slytherin house" whose name was Olivia Cain." 

"Did she also tell you that I was the first- the only one out of my class, actually- to transfigure my matchstick into a needle?" she asked absently, tapping a jar of pickled toads.

"She failed to mention that."

"Yeah and the only reason I seemed obstinately whatever-" she said, rolling her eyes as she flopped down in a seat, "-is because McGonagall is _boring_…and easily irritable. All I did was ask her questions. I didn't think we'd be able to do magic in her class- Flitwick didn't let us."

"You have to learn the wand movements before you can learn the spells."

"But I _know _the wand movements _and _the spells already. Ellen taught me."

The words brought to mind a memory which I hadn't thought of in years and reminded me of what I now considered to be good advice.

"The work may seem boring now," I said to her, "but you'll learn something eventually. Give your classmates the time to catch up with you- most of them have never used magic before."

"I want to learn Potions," she said enthusiastically, "but it's not on my schedule until Wednesday. Will we be experimenting with Potions? Will we be able to make our own Potions?" 

"It takes quite a lot of skill to be able to experiment with Potions in the sense that you put it. It's not taught in the curriculum. …I've never had a student who was skilled enough or interested enough to do it."

"Oh I'm interested enough," she said assuringly, "I want to experiment and make…special potions. For animals."

"Potions for animals?" I repeated.

"Yes. I want to be a veterinarian for Wizarding animals. You do know what a vet is don't you? It's a Muggle doctor for-"

"I know what a veterinarian is. How do you know what a vet is? You grew up in Diagon Alley. In the Wizarding World."

"I read a lot," she replied with a shrug, "And sometimes Ellen takes me to the Muggle World. She dates Muggles sometimes. I meant, I can understand dating Muggle-borns, I'm not _that _discrimination, but a _Muggle_? With _no _magic?"

I studied her curiously. 

"It's rare to find a Slytherin who isn't discriminate against Muggle-borns," I said.

"Oh I know- everyone's all 'pureblood this and pureblood that'. I go along with it if I have to, but I really think it's rather ridiculous. …Oh- you aren't prejudiced are you? You're Slytherin too, aren't you? I didn't think of that."

"…No. No, I'm not prejudiced."

"Good," she said, relieved, "Ellen always told me that I shouldn't discriminate against Muggle-borns because, for all I know, I could be Muggle-born myself."

"Oh right- you're adopted," I said, as if I didn't know.

"Yeah."

I was quiet a moment, thinking. The child interested me. She was a lot smarter than most kids her age. It was the ignorance of children that made me hate being a teacher, but Olivia was not ignorant. So I decided to make her an offer.

"_If _you are good at Potions- which you may not be, I don't know yet- then I _might _consider making you my apprentice and teaching you about Potions more in-depth than your peers."

Her green eyes lit up, but that was the only hint of excitement her face betrayed. 

"I would like that," she said. I could sense her suppressed excitement- a quick glance into her mind with Legilimency told me I wasn't crazy- but her face betrayed almost no emotion, apart from her small smile. This child had mastered control of her emotions, and at such a young age. I was impressed…and a little envious. 

"We shall see if you are as good a Potions as you think you are," I said to her, "Now, it's late. You should return to your dormitory."

After Olivia had left, /I stayed up a while reviewing the work from some of my older students. Finally I went to my room, which was hidden by a slab of wall and could only be opened by a complicated spell. It wasn't much- a dark room, lit by torches on the wall. It had a green glow to it, lie the Slytherin Common Room I recalled so fondly. My bed was two mattresses stacked together, covered with black satins sheets. There were several shelves along the wall, stacked mostly with various potions and poisons, save for the spot right next to my bed, where there was an old photograph. It was a picture of Lily. She had been 16 at the time the photo was taken. She wore a yellow sundress and a hat and she was smiling and laughing. The photograph could move- in face she continued to smile and wave at me- but she couldn't talk. I stared at her for a few minutes before turning over to face the wall. It was then that I considered the memory that had surfaced earlier. 

_I was a first-year, sitting sullenly in the headmaster's office. _

"_They tell me you refuse to do your homework, Severus. Is that right?" the headmaster inquired._

"_I guess," I muttered._

"_Why won't you do your homework? It's part of learning."_

"_That's not learning," I scoffed, "I know this stuff already. I _know _the wand movements and I _know _the spells."_

"_Who taught you?" Dumbledore had asked curiously._

"_My mother," I muttered in response._

"_Eileen Prince. I remembered her," he said with a smile, "She was a talented witch when she was in school. She was quite good at Potions and was very skilled at Gobstones, if memory serves me right?"_

_I nodded my head reluctantly._

"_How is she?" he inquired._

"_Well enough," I replied sullenly, staring at the floor._

"_I heard she married a Muggle. Very unexpected. She was in Slytherin after all, but I suppose the heart has a mind of its own."_

_I said nothing, then stood resignedly. _

"_I'll do the stupid homework," I said darkly, "Can I go back to class now?"_

"_Of course. As for the lack of learning, I suggest you give your classmates sometime to catch up. Some of them have never used magic before. Lawfully speaking, parents aren't supposed to teach their children magic with wands at such an early age, but I think we can overlook it this once."_

_He smiled kindly but his blue eyes seemed to be x-raying me. I left the office with my first impression of Professor Dumbledore- I didn't like him, I didn't trust him, and I certainly didn't need his help._

The memory brought a slight smile to my face. It was true that I hadn't liked Dumbledore at first, but now he was a friend to me- possible my only friend. I had come to like Dumbledore when the Muggle department of Child Services made several investigations into my house when I was a child. True it never made a real difference- Tobias would just force my Mother to perform a Memory Charm on them- but Dumbledore never mentioned it to me and for that I was thankful. 


	3. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: **Hello all! Time for another update. Hope you all enjoy. I especially liked writing the end of this chapter- I'm sure you'll see what I mean.

I've tried to proofread as much as possible, but remember- everyone makes mistakes, even real, published writers.

Please Read and Review!

~TheVampyre13

**Olivia's POV**

Wednesday came faster than I dared hope and immediately after breakfast I found myself following my fellow Slytherins down to the dungeons where we were later joined by the Gryffindor first years. We lined up outside of the door to the classroom, which was shut and no one dared open.

"Man, what's taking so long?" complained a Gryffindor boy named Alan Makinney, "Like it _really _takes this long to prepare a Potions class."

This irked me slightly. Enough so that I felt inclined to say something to him.

"What do _you _know about Potions, Makinney?" I said, cutting my eyes at him.

"Only that it's a stupid subject no one in their right mind would take and- from what I've heard- the Professor is psychotic ass-"

"It would be highly inadvisable to finish that sentence, Mr. Makinney," said a silky smooth but undeniably dangerous voice from the doorway. It was Snape and his glittered black eyes were focused on McKinney n a dangerous glare. The boy's ears turned red and he lowered his head in defeat.

"Inside. All of you," Snape said to the class.

We didn't need telling twice. Most everyone avoided Snape's gaze as they passed him going into the classroom, but not me. I caught his eye and grinned. For a moment it seemed he would smile, but it quickly slid into a scowl.

The interior of the classroom was not unlike his office- dark and dungeon-like. There were several desks and my classmates seemed to be scrambling to get as far away from Snape's desk as possible. I walked fearlessly to the front of the classroom and sat down iat the desk directly in front of Snape's.

Once everyone was seated, Snape came inside, letting the door slam shut behind him, causing several Gryffindor girl to jump. He made his way to the front of the classroom, commanding complete silence and attention from the entire class. He picked up a piece of parchment from his desk and began to call roll.

"Avery, Juni," Snape began quietly. Avery, a dark-haired Slytherin boy, raised his hand. Snape checked the name off his list and continued. When he reached my name he didn't even glance up but continued on without waiting for a response.

"Daae, Alexandria."

The name sounded vaguely familiar- I had heard it called several times in my other classes and I'd finally remembered last night that 'Daae' had been the name of the girl in _Phantom of the Opera_, which I had read and loved as a child. I looked around curiously to see who it would be. No one raised their hand. Snape repeated the name, his voice low and dangerous. Again no one responded. He narrowed his eyes and wrote something beside her name, then finished calling roll.

"Welcome to Potions class," Snape said, looking over the class, "I don't expect many of you to enjoy this class or to be good at it. Potions takes a keen, attentive, intuitive mind, which so many lack. It is a complex art, that can control even the most powerful of wizards by turning their own bodies against them, bewitching minds and ensnaring the senses."

I couldn't help but smirk. Snape's eyes roamed the classroom and landed on McKinney, who was trying to catch the eye of a pretty blonde Gryffindor girl who was studiously ignoring him.

"McKinney," Snape said loudly, "Perhaps you can start the class of by answering a Potions questions- What Potions ingredient is most commonly used in Healing Potions?"

"Um… I have no idea, sir," said the boy meekly.

"Pity. Let's try again, shall we? What ingredient comes from a ferocious class 5 creature but has 12 extraordinarily magical uses?"

McKinney shrugged.

"I dunno, sir."

"Guess," Snape said, his lip curling into a sneer.

"Uh…ah… Jobberknoll feathers?"

I couldn't help it- I bust into peals of laughter. Snape's black eyes turned on me disapprovingly.

"Perhaps you can enlighten us, Miss Cain?" he asked coldly.

"Sure," I replied brightly, "Hm- the first one? That's Dittany, that is. The second is dragon's blood, of course- as if Jobberknolls could be ferocious, honestly!- the 12 uses of which were discovered by Albus Dumbledore."

"That is… quite right, Miss Cain. Fifteen points for Slytherin."

There was a little sparse applause from my peers and envious looks from the Gryffindors.

"Today you will be attempting to brew a simple potion to cure boils," Snape said to the class at large, "I expect you all to make an honest attempt or suffer my…displeasure. The instructions can be found on page 5 of your books and the ingredients can be found in the store cupboard here-" he flicked his wand and the store cupboard flew open, "You have an hour. Begin."

The faces of my peers revealed fear and surprise at being left on their own so quickly. I flipped through my textbook and found the page. I scanned the list of ingredients quickly and went to retrieve them from the cupboard. I laid the ingredients out on my desk and checked the instructions. I set he horned slugs to stewing in my cauldron then started crushing snake fangs. I hardly paid any attention to Snape, who was stalking around the dungeon classroom, intimidating lesser students, pointing out their mistakes in a sneering voice. I smiled to myself as he peered into my cauldron then continued on without saying anything.

Less than an hour later I was the first person finished with the potion and it was perfect. It looked exactly as described in the textbook. I hadn't messed up once, whereas some of my classmates had been required to restart their potions, some as many as three times. When Snape called time, I looked around the dungeon classroom, slightly bemused. Several cauldrons issued forth toxic clouds of smoke or steam. One person had melted their cauldron. More than one student gave up completely and lost house points.

When the bell rang my classmates practically few out of the classroom. I lingered behind until the last student had left, then I turned to Snape who was sitting at his desk, writing something.

"Well?" I said to him.

"Well what?"

"Did I do good?"

"You're going to be late," he said absently, without looking up at me.

"So? You're a teacher, you can write me a pass."

"And if I refuse?"

"Quite stalling. I did good, didn't I?"

"You brewed a simple potion.. Nothing special."

"No one else managed it though, did they?" I asked haughtily.

"No," he admitted grudgingly.

"So I'm good? You'll teach me potions?"

"We'll see. The curriculum _does _get harder."

I let out a humph and glared at him until he stopped working and looked up at me.

"It's almost like you don't _want _me to be good at Potions," I said gloweringly.

He looked faintly amused then quickly cleared his expression.

"I just don't want you to get your hopes up. If your performance continues on the level of skill you showed today… we'll see. It will be nice having a student with a real enthusiasm for Potions."

"Is that a compliment?" I asked, grinning.

"No," he replied, surly, "Go to class."

"I need a pass," I reminded him.

With a scowl he tore off a piece of parchment, scribbled a pass, and thrust it towards me.

"Go," he said shortly.

"Yes sir," I replied, unable to resist the temptation to snap him a mock-salute.

"I should take house points for that," he said as I headed for the door. I stopped to survey him.

"You wouldn't," I replied certainly, continued towards the door. He narrowed his eyes at me.

"Two points from Slytherin," he said. I scowled at him but decided not to push my luck and left without another word.

**Snape's POV**

As soon as she was gone, I smiled to myself. She certainly had spunk, that girl, but she seemed a little too sure of herself. She did seem quite adept at brewing potions- I'd never before had a student perform so calmly and flawlessly as she had on her very first day.

"Five points for Slytherin," I muttered quietly, a slight smiled on my face.

Over the next few days, Olivia's performance in all of her classes, including Potions, continued to be exemplary. Her other teachers told me she was brilliant, though she didn't get along well with the other students. She hated working in a group and if they made her work with other students, she would mess up on purpose. Minerva had given her detention once but told me afterwards that Olivia had performed her detention of bathing and feeding the transfiguration mice with a smile on her face.

One afternoon the Slytherin first years had their first flying lesson with Madam Hooch. I was curious and decided to go for a walk around the grounds around the same time they had their class. I walked down to the lake before coming back up to where the first years were. I heard Madam Hooch's whistle as I approached.

"Miss Cain, I must ask you to refrain from riding your broomstick with no hands. It's dangerous," barked Madam Hooch.

I looked up to see Olivia hovering about 10 feet above her classmates. Most of the other students, who were only about five feet off the ground, clung to their brooms desperately, but Olivia was flying in a lazy circle above them, her arms at her sides.

"Sorry teach," she said, putting her hands on the handle of her broomstick. She was looking at me curiously, then she pointed her broomstick towards me and flew down. She then proceeded to fly in circles around my head.

"Whatcha doin?" she asked as she flew around me.

"Walking."

"Right," she said with a smirk.

Madam Hooch blew her whistle again and all the first years touched back down.

"See ya," Olivia said, still grinning, and went to join her classmates. I continued walking, not looking back as I made my way to the castle, smiling to myself.

Once I was inside the castle, instead of heading down to the dungeons, I found myself walking towards Dumbledore's office. I gave the password, 'Jelly Slugs' and then knocked on his office door.

"Come in," he said cheerfully. I pushed the door open. The headmaster was sitting at his desk, reading the Daily Prophet and snacking on some chocolate.

"Hello Severus," he said, looking up from the paper with a smile, "Would you like a chocolate-covered raisin?"

"No thank you," I said, eyeing the bowl distastefully, "I came to discuss something with you."

"Oh?"

"I would like to discuss the possibility of my taking an apprentice."

"For Potions?"

"That _is _what I teach."

"Hogwarts hasn't had a Potions apprentice since Professor Slughorn taught the subject. Who do you have in mind?"

"One of my first years is very skilled and shows great potential."

"Is it Miss Cain?" Dumbledore asked with a knowing smile.

"Yes," I admitted grudgingly.

"I thought so. I received a letter from her mother at the start of term."

"Wh-? Ellen wrote to you?"

"Yes," he said, shuffling through the papers on his desk, "She wanted me to keep an eye on Olivia and make sure she adjusted well. Her teachers tell me she is exceedingly brilliant."

"Did they also tell you she has an attitude problem?" I asked wryly.

"Yes they did," he said, chuckling, "Ah- here's the letter."

Dumbledore handed me a piece of parchment where I immediately recognized Ellen's thin, spidery handwriting.

_Dumbledore,_

_Sorry to buy you so early in the term, I know you're busy, but I thought I'd write to you concerning my foster daughter Olivia. She's starting school this year. She's a brilliant child and she's already way ahead of her class, I'm sure. She loves Potions and I was hoping you could keep an eye on her and make sure Severus isn't mean to her. I haven't talked to him in ages. If Olivia ends up in Gryffindor and he starts being mean to her I'm going to come up there and kick his scrawny butt. Hopefully it won't come to that if you keep an eye on the both of them._

_Sincerely, _

_Ellen Cain_

I let out a scoff as I tossed the letter back onto the desk.

"Why haven't you been speaking to your cousin, Severus?" Dumbledore asked me.

"I've been busy," I muttered.

"Does it have something to do with the girl?"

"No," I said defiantly. Dumbledore surveyed me with his electric blue eyes.

"Don't lie to me. I know you used to follow her around Diagon Alley. Keep her safe."

I stared at him in amazement.

"I…I…"

"Perhaps you should start from the beginning?" Dumbledore suggested quietly. I consented and took a seat in front of his desk, feeling like a child again.

"Do you remember Lynn Rahl?"

"Of course. She was in Slytherin. Graduated at least fifteen years ago."

"Right. She was a Death Eater…and she was Olivia's biological mother…"

I quickly told Dumbledore all that had occurred that fateful night eleven years ago, including my promise to Lily. Dumbledore was the only person who knew of my love for her…even still.

"It was one of the last things I ever said to her," I said quietly, "So I intend to keep my promise. Ergo, Ellen's concerns were unfounded. Even if the child _had _been in Gryffindor…"

Dumbledore said nothing, but I noticed his eyes looked misty and he turned his face away, looking out the window as I scowled. When he turned back to face me after a minute, his eyes were clear.

"Why must you always hide the good person within you, Severus?"

I let out a short, derisive laugh- of the things I considered myself to be, a good person was not one of them.

"But you _are _a good person, Severus," he said.

"Stay out of my head," I snapped, throwing up my defenses against his skillful Legilimency- I hadn't even felt him penetrate my mind.

"Sorry," he said lightly, "Now, regarding your taking Miss Cain as your apprentice…"

I waited impatiently for him to continue.

"Yes?" I said tersely.

"Well I have no problem with it. Have you discussed the possibility with Miss Cain?"

"She approached me at the start of term, right after the feast, and expressed a desire to learn potions. She asked about experimenting and creating new potions, way beyond anything we teach here at Hogwarts."

"What a remarkable girl."

"She's quite determined," I said, suppressing a small smile as I stood to leave.

"Have you been looking in her mind a lot?" Dumbledore asked, making me pause.

"Not _a lot_," I said, unable to stop myself from flushing slightly.

Dumbledore smiled.

"I was wondering if you'd seen all her memories of you?"

"I've seen a few. Apparently she used to stalk me around Diagon Alley. Wait, _you've _been using Legilimency on her?" I demanded.

"No," he replied simply and gestured to a shelf, where sat a number of things which included the Sorting Hat, which could read minds.

"Did you by any chance catch what it was she used to call you?" Dumbledore inquired, "She called you her guardian angel."

"So?" I snapped, though I hadn't meant to sound so defensive and immediately regretted it. Dumbledore's eyebrow raised slightly.

"Did you ever consider that you might be?"

"What?" I snorted, "That's absurd."

"Perhaps not."

"Albus this is ridiculous. I don't have time for this."

I left his office after that without another word, wondering my friend had finally lost his marbles.

**Olivia's POV**

Throughout my classes the day after my first flying class, I found myself daydreaming about flying. All I could think of was how awesome it felt to be in the air, on a broomstick. All the freedom. And I had controlled it so well. I wanted desperately to fly again and finally I came up with an idea.

Friday night after my dorm mates had gone to sleep, I slipped out of bed. I had gone to bed in my clothes and I picked up my shoes before heading out. The Common Room was nearly deserted, save for a few older students, including Mari.

"Where ya off to, firstie?" she asked, walking over to me.

"Out. I don't feel like sleeping," I replied with a shrug.

"Fun," she said with a grin, "Wish I could go with you, but I'm exhausted and I'm swamped with homework. Hey, you know the spell to unlock doors, don't you? Alohomora?"

"Yeah, I know it. But thanks for attempting to contribute to my delinquency," I said with a grin.

"No problem. Hey, if you ever need a quick escape from the dungeons there's a hidden passage behind the painting of the bald man- you know the one I'm talking about?"

"The one down the corridor and to the left from the Potions classroom?"

"Yeah. Behind it is a set of stairs that lead up to the third floor."

"Cool. Might be useful. Thanks."

I left the Common Room as quietly as possible. I stood silently in the corridor, my ears straining for the faintest hint of sound. I heard nothing so I continued down the hall as quietly as I possible could, prepared to flee or hide if I heard so much as a mouse sneeze. As I passed the Potions classroom and later Snape's office I stopped to listen at the door. I heard nothing, which was a relief. Perhaps he had already gone to bed.

I made it up to the stairs that led out of the dungeons to the Entrance Hall. At the top of the stairs I stopped again and pressed my ears against the door to listen. I could hear nothing. I pulled out my wand and cast a detection spell, which revealed there was no one in the Entrance Hall.

Nevertheless, I pushed the door open slowly, each creak of the hinges sounding as loud as thunder in my ears. I peeked my head out of the door and looked around. No one. I stood there a moment longer, listening, and my heart jumped into my throat when I heard the sound of footsteps on the Grand Staircase. From where the door to the dungeons was, I couldn't be seen from the staircase. I listening to the _click-click-click _of heels on the stars. A moment later I could see McGonagall on the stairs. I quickly ducked my head back into the dungeons, though I was confident she had not seen me.

I listened to the sound of her footsteps come down the stairs and walk around the Entrance Hall for a few minutes. My heartbeat increased rapidly as she came close to the dungeons but- thankfully- she did not open the door. After a few minutes, she turned and went back upstairs. I didn't relax until I could no longer hear her footsteps.

I crept out into the Entrance Hall silently and looked around, wondering what McGonagall had been looking for. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. I looked around at the door to the Entrance Hall- it was unlocked. Grinning triumphantly, I opened the door as quietly as possible and slipped out into the night.

Sticking to the shadows, I made my way down to the Quidditch pitch where the broom shed was. I tried the door to the shed- locked, of course- then pulled out my wand.

"Alohomora," I said firmly. There was a faint click as the lock opened. It was dark inside the shed. I could see the faint outline of booms along all four walls.

"Lumos," I whispered and the tip of my wand began to emit a steady light. I looked around at the dozens of broomsticks. They were all different shapes, sizes, colors, and ages. Some were older than others with twigs that stuck out at various angles or had fallen out over the years.

I looked around at them all, examining them each. Finally I came across one that I liked. It was faded black and the handle was chipped in a few places. There were a few bristles missing from the tail of the broom. On the end of the handle, written in silver letters, was the name of the broom- Midnight Flyer.

"Perfect," I said quietly, smiling to myself.

I took the broom outside of the shed and looked around again. There was no one about so I swung one leg over the broom handle and was off.

I flew over the lake for a while, then, worried that someone might see me, I took off flying over the Forbidden Forest. I flew up high into the sky then, clinging tightly to the broom handle, I pointed downwards, pulling up again before I reached the tree tops.

After practicing these dives a few times I contented myself to fly low over the trees, looking down into the forest. It was a beautiful night and the moon was full. It sparkled beautifully on the water of a stream I spotted. I flew lower, letting my feet trail the water, when I spotted them- A mother unicorn and her baby, on the banks of the stream.

I touched down on the ground and stood staring in awe at the magnificent creatures. The mother unicorn was solid white with a gleaming sharp horn. The baby was small and golden, with a little nub of a horn between his bright blue eyes.

The mother unicorn saw me standing there, studied me for a moment, then -deciding I wasn't a threat- leaned her head down to drink from the river, letting her horn touch the water. The water of the river seemed to glow for a moment before returning to it's normal color. The baby unicorn then bent to drink as well. I sat down in the grass a little ways away, not wanting to risk startling them, content to sit and watch them a while.

"Impossible!" said a voice and I turned my head to see Snape standing just inside the trees.

"Shh," I hissed at him quietly, "You'll scare them away."

He emerged from the trees slowly. His wand was in his hand and he had the tip lit. He walked over to where I sat and the unicorn lifted her head and surveyed him silently. The baby unicorn looked up as well and upon seeing Snape, let out a delighted squeal and began to clamber towards us, still unsteady on his legs. When the baby reached Snape, he stared transfixed at the light on the end of Snape's wand. The little unicorn sniffed it, touching the end of his golden nose to the end of the wand. Snape held absolutely still, his eyes on the unicorn. The baby licked the end of his wand curiously and Snape laughed softly, a sound I would not have thought possible of him.

When the little unicorn lost interest in Snape's wand, he proceeded to butt Snape playfully with his head. Cautiously, Snape reached out and touched his muzzle. I watched the mother unicorn to see how she would react. She nickered quietly and trotted over to us. The mother stopped in front of me, close enough to touch. But I dared not…

"It's okay," Snape said quietly, his eyes still on the golden baby unicorn, who was now chewing on his robes, "She'll let you touch her. Unicorns are quite nice. In fact, they prefer a girl's touch."

I put my hand out warily and the unicorn brought her head down so that my hand touched her soft velvety muzzle.

Neither Snape nor I spoke until the mother had whinnied to her baby and the two went off in the woods together.

"You shouldn't be out here. Especially at night. These woods are full of dangerous creatures," Snape began immediately.

"What're _you _doing out here then?" I inquired.

"_I _am getting Potions ingredients- there are certain plants that can only be harvested at night. …But that is beside the point. You shouldn't sneak out of the castle at night and go wandering about the forest. That's two very serious infractions of school rules that-"

"_Actually, _I didn't sneak out of the castle to go wandering in the woods…I snuck out to go flying," I said, holding up the broomstick.

"Oh… so you actually broke about five school rules?"

"Maybe," I replied with an indifferent shrug.

He stared at me wordlessly, then shook his head.

"Do you even know which direction the castle is in?" he asked, bemused.

"Ah…nope."

He let out an exasperated sigh.

"I suppose you should come with me then…but I'm not returning to the castle until I've harvested some Fluxweed."

"Fine by me," I replied with a shrug and followed him into the woods.

"Keep your wand out," he said to me. I pulled my wand out of my pocket, lit the tip, and held it aloft, following Snape through the thickness of the forest.


	4. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: **Ello everyone! Sorry it's taken so long for me to post a new chapter but I've begun working for the local newspaper writing articles and it's rather time consuming, plus the style isn't what I'm used to writing and I've got the boss lady on my butt all the time. :P On the plus side, I can use my work's internet so maybe I can update more. Yay! Well, I've kept you waiting long enough. Here's chapter 3!

**Snape's POV**

I could hear Olivia following me through the woods, the sound of her feet crunching the leaves on the forest floor. Even though I knew where to look for Fluxweed, the forest was still dangerous, _especially _at night and _especially _during the full moon. I quickened my pace, wanting to get Olivia back to the safety of the castle as quickly as possible. If I hadn't been completely out of Fluxweed, which could only be harvested during the full moon, I would have said to heel with it and taken her back immediately.

When we finally emerged from the forest, into a large round clearing that was familiar to me, the moon was directly overhead and illuminated every inch of the clearing. I turned to Olivia, who was looking around the clearing, her green eyes wide and reflecting the light of the moon.

"Pay attention," I said to her and she immediately focused her attention on me, "Do you know what Fluxweed looks like?"

"Duh," she said with a snort.

I narrowed my eyes at her.

"I mean, yes sir," she said quickly.

I had to suppress a smile, so I turned my head and gestured to the clearing.

"Gather as much as you can," I said to her and, after digging around in the pockets of my robes for a moment, handed her a small bag.

She began to walk around the clearing, kneeling down ever few feet to gather the plant. I watched her for a few minutes before beginning to gather plants in my own bag.

Once we both had gathered as much as we could, we started back towards the castle.

"Can you tell me the uses of Fluxweed?" I asked Olivia, testing her knowledge and giving us something to talk about.

It's used in Polyjuice Potion, Swelling Solution, Aging Potion, Shrinking Solution and various potions used to change appearances."

"That's right," I said, impressed with her but not letting it show, "What can you tell me about valerian roots?" I asked, pointing to a clump.

We spent the rest of the walk discussing plants. We were almost back to the castle when I heard the faint sound of approaching hoof beats. Olivia heard it too, and looked around, frowning. The hoof beats grew louder and seemed to be coming nearer. Olivia pointed her wand in the directions from which they came.

"Lower your wand," I commanded quickly, "They dislike wizard's magic."

She obeyed immediately.

"What-?"

They burst out of the trees suddenly, galloping at full speed. I grabbed Olivia and pulled her out of the way quickly, just in time to avoid being trampled.

Olivia watched in awe as the herd of centaurs thundered past. I thought perhaps they hadn't noticed us, until the front of the herd turned and came back towards us, slowing down until they came to a stop in front of us.

"Humans," said the leader of the herd, who I knew to be Bane, "You should not be out here so late. It is dangerous."

"The girl is no more than a filly," said a female centaur disapprovingly, "How could you bring her out here? And during the full moon. I know humans are of lesser intelligence, but even you should know better."

"I didn't _bring _her out here," I said, forcing myself not to snap, "I found her. I was taking her back to the castle- she snuck out."

"Into the forest? What an incredibly stupid girl," said Bane, "Even for a filly."

"No, not into the forest," Olivia said defiantly, her emerald eyes gleaming, "I went for a fly on the broomstick. I was flying over the forest when I saw a unicorn and her baby. That's when I landed. Then Snape found me."

"_Professor _Snape," said Bane, "You should learn to respect your elders, girl."

"He's my cousin," she said with a snort.

"That is not what the stars say," said Bane, looking upwards.

"Well I'm adopted, but still…"

"Very well. You may pass and return to Hogwarts, as is our agreement with Dumbledore."

"Wait," said a voice from the back of the herd, "Let me see the humans."

The centaurs moved aside, bowing respectfully as an elderly centaur came to the front- even Bane lowered his head in respect.

The elderly centaur had long white hair and light blue eyes that looked misty. He studied us a moment, then turned his face towards the sky.

"Just as I thought," he said a moment later, looking back at us, "Together, you have a touch of destiny about you."

There was a long silence. I glanced at Olivia, who raised an eyebrow at me.

"Destiny," she repeated skeptically, "Right."

I felt uneasy beneath the stare of the elder centaur. I knew this so-called destiny probably had to do with my saving her and I hoped that, if the centaur knew, he wouldn't tell her.

"Whether or not you believe is your choice," the centaur said finally, calmly. He turned then and left us, the rest of the herd following, until we were alone once again in the forest.

"Weird," she remarked, staring off into the forest, where the centaurs had disappeared. I was silent a moment, then shook my head.

"Let's go back to the castle," I said, motioning for her to follow me.

Finally, we found ourselves back on the grounds of Hogwarts.

"I've got to put this back before we go back to the castle," Olivia said, holding up the broomstick she had stolen. I nodded my head and followed her towards the broom shed. When we got to the shed, she used her wand to unlock the door. She put the broomstick, relocked the door using magic, and followed me back towards the castle.

"I'm going to have to give you detention you know?" I said to her.

"With you?" she asked, sounding hopeful.

"Yes," I replied cautiously and she grinned, "Don't look so enthusiastic- it's a punishment."

"Right. Aren't you supposed to report me to Professor Dumbledore or something?"

"Do you _want _me to report you to Professor Dumbledore?" I asked menacingly.

"No," she said quickly.

"Then stop asking questions."

When we made it back inside, I made sure Olivia went back to the Slytherin Common Room.

"Don't go wandering about anymore, okay? And I'll expect you in my office at 7 o'clock tomorrow to serve your detention."

"Yay- I mean, yes sir," she said, grinning. I rolled my eyes and headed towards my office without another word.

**Olivia's POV**

My dreams that night were full of centaurs galloping and talking about destiny. It made sense in the dream, everything they said, but when I awoke I couldn't remember any of it. I awoke late Saturday morning, just in time to go down to lunch. When I reached the Great Hall, I saw Mari waving for me to come sit with her. She grinned at me as I sat down.

"Did ya have fun last night?" she asked me.

"Yep. I saw a unicorn and her baby while I was flying over the forest. I saw a herd of centaurs, too."

"There are a lot of them, aren't there? I got lost in the forest once when I was in my third year. The centaurs found me and showed me back the castle. They're an odd lot- always talking about the stars and the natural order of things."

"I dunno. I didn't talk to them," I lied, "I just saw them as I was flying overhead."

"Oh. Hey you know there's a Quidditch game this afternoon? Ravenclaw versus Hufflepuff. You going?"

"I dunno, Mari, I was gonna go to the library, do some reading…"

"Don't be such a nerd, Olivia. Come on, you'll love Quidditch."

"Well…alright."

That afternoon I followed Mari out to the Quidditch pitch. Everyone seemed excited. The air was filled with chatter up until the point when the players walked out onto the field with their brooms. Madam Hooch, who was the referee, blew her whistle and the players ascended into the air. Mari and I cheered for the Ravenclaw team, as did all of our fellow Slytherins. By the end of the game, Ravenclaw had beat Hufflepuff by almost twice as many points.

When Mari and I walked back up to the castle after the game, all she talked about was professional Quidditch.

"I think I might try out for the team next year," I remarked.

"See," she said, "I _told _you you'd like Quidditch. Good luck getting on the team, though. I don't _ever _remember there being a girl on the Slytherin team. You'll need mad skills. And a good broom."

At 7 o'clock that evening I made my way cheerfully down to Snape's office. I knew I shouldn't be cheerful- after all, detention was supposed to be a punishment- but I couldn't help it. As long as I got to spend time with Snape, it couldn't possibly be bad. I knocked on his office door and was told to enter. I walked into his office to find Snape sitting at his desk.

"Will you stop smiling?" he said irritably, "Or will I have to make you serve your detention with McGonagall."

"Sorry," I said, sobering up.

"Sorry what?"

"Sorry _sir_," I said, suppressing an eye roll.

"Right. Come on," he said, standing.

"Where are we going?" I asked, trying not to sound excited.

"To the Potions classroom. You'll be serving your detention in there, preparing Potions ingredients."

_Cool_, I thought to myself, grinning inside.

I followed Snape down the hall to the Potions classroom. There was a box sitting on the desk that was mine. Snape pointed to the desk and I sat down. He handed me a silver knife.

"Can you tell me what the properties of rat tails are in use in Potions?" he asked me.

"Sure," I replied, "They are used to heighten senses and can be found in Invigoration Draught, Alert Elixir, and, uh…Hair Raising Potion."

"Correct. You will serve your detention by dissecting rats and setting aside the parts we use in potions- the spleen and the tail. I'll show you."

He opened the box and selected one light brown rat. It's eyes were closed and it's little paws were curled against its chest. My heart felt constricted in my chest. _Poor little thing…_

Snape thumped it down callously on its back on the desk. With one swift movement he cut its stomach open, removed its spleen, cut off its tail, and tossed it into another box on the floor. I fought back a wave of nausea as he handed me the blood-covered knife.

"What?" Snape said, obviously noticing some betrayal of my emotions.

"Nothing," I said quickly and picked up a rat. It was cold and stiff and furry. Snape went and sat at his desk to grade papers.

I got through three rats without puking but when I reached the fourth one it's eyes were open and it's mouth was open in a silent scream. I couldn't help it- I burst into tears. Snape looked highly alarmed.

"What's wrong with you?" he demanded. I tried to stifle my crying.

"I'm…sorry," I said, between sniffs, "I can't…do it. The poor…things."

"Oh for the love of-" he started, then swept the rat off the desk back into the box and pointed to the door, "Go."

"But… I haven't served my detention."

"Forget about it. Just go."

"No! I want to serve my detention."

He stared at me and shook his head incredulously. He said nothing, but took the rats and disappeared into the store room a minute. I used this minute to wipe all trace of tears from my face, embarrassed that I had cried in front of Snape and worried that this would make him not want me as an apprentice. He came back out with a significantly smaller box and put this on my desk, along with a pestle.

"Crush these," he said and went and sat back at his desk. I opened the box- griffin claws. That I could do. I happily began to complete the assignment.

"I should have made you do it anyway," Snape said without looking up from his work, "How can you like Potions so much? Animal parts are used in most potions."

"I haven't a problem _using _the parts…I just can't make myself cut open a poor defenseless animal. It's inhumane!" I said indignantly.

"But they're already dead."

"Yes but it's _sad_…and gross."

"Right," he said, shaking his head.


	5. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: **Time for a brief update. All things considered, I've actually started writing Olivia's fifth year and am very excited to post it. I just have to catch up with myself first. I have to finish writing the first year before it starts getting really good. Be excited, be very excited. And please don't get too mad if it seems a bit rushed. Oh and thanks for all the lovely reviews! You all are wonderful! It's readers like you who help keep my stories interesting. Love you all!

~TheVampyre13

**Snape's POV**

The months seemed to fly by after that with Olivia purposely trying to get me to give her detention, which I found both exasperating and amusing. Before I knew it, it was time for the Christmas holidays and I had to go around one morning at breakfast and take down the names of those who were staying at Hogwarts for the holidays. When I reached Olivia and her friend Mari Pirelli, they both turned to face me, grinning.

"Are either of you going home for Christmas?" I asked reluctantly.

"Hell no," Olivia replied, grinning, "Hogwarts is awesome."

"Language, Olivia," I said warningly, "Don't make me take house points."

"You could just give me detention," she said hopefully.

"I think not. What about you, Pirelli? Are you staying as well?"

"Sure, why not," she replied with a shrug.

I wrote down both their names and continued down the row of students. I had just written down Alexandria Daae's name when someone tugged on my sleeve. I looked down at Olivia.

"What?" I asked her.

"I could help you take names," she offered.

"Will it get you to leave me alone?"

"Temporarily," she replied smartly.

I sighed and handed her a piece of parchment and a quill.

"Go," I told her, "Do the other side of the table."

"Right-o," she said and hurried off.

She was just finishing up as I reached the end of the table. She handed me her list and proceeded to follow me out of the Great Hall and down into the dungeons.

"Don't you have a class or something to go to?" I asked irritably.

"Potions is my first class today," she replied brightly.

"Of course it is. I _should _make you wait outside the door."

"Oh come on Snape, let me help you prepare for the lesson. _Please_. I'll do whatever you say and I'll be extra quiet."

"Fine," I said, holding open the door to the classroom for her.

I retrieved the teacher's edition Potions book and opened it to the page we were working on today. I set Olivia about the simple task of writing today's lesson on the board, which she began to do with such enthusiasm her writing was hardly legible. I sat down at my desk and pulled out some papers to work on.

"Write slower," I said to her, "Your classmates don't have time to decipher your chicken scratch."

"Hmph," she said as she erased what she had written, "It's surprising any of them can even read. Stupid blighters. Did you know Alan Makinney _exploded _a frog in McGonagall's class the other day? He exploded it! It was horrible. Of course McGonagall didn't even take house points or anything-"

"I thought you were going to be quiet?" I said without looking up from my work.

"Hmph," she said again and I glanced up to see her making a zipping motion with her hand. I shook my head and forced myself not to smile.

The last day of term came as a relief to students and teachers alike. The day after term ended the castle was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. I slept late and awoke just in time for lunch. I was making my way out of the dungeons when I saw Olivia and her friend making their way down the staircase. Olivia had something hidden behind her back and she swore when she saw me.

"What're you two doing?" I asked her. Olivia turned her back to me and set down what appeared to be a box. She opened it and turned it on its side.

"Run free, little mice!" she cried. I watched as several small, white mice scampered confusedly down the staircase and down a corridor. Surprised, I stepped aside and allowed the mice to pass me. Then I crossed my arms and glared up at Olivia.

"Crap," she said and hurried back up the staircase, dragging her friend with her. By the time I reached the Entrance Hall, the girls had disappeared.

I just shook my head and continued on to lunch, where I had to endure Minerva complaining about how someone had stolen her transfiguration mice.

"Perhaps you misplaced them?" I suggested, fighting a smile. She shot me a death glare and I began to eat quickly to keep myself from laughing. Then it occurred to me- I hadn't felt like laughing in ages. Perhaps having Olivia around wasn't such a bad thing after all. She was amusing at least.

After lunch I went for a walk around the grounds, which were covered with snow. I spotted Olivia and her friend down by the lake, building snowmen- or in Olivia's case, a snow puppy.

"Olivia!" I called to her, and made a come here motion with my finger. She looked guiltily around, said something to her friend, then walked over to me, attempting to look casual.

"Hey Snape. What's up? Having a good holiday?" she asked innocently.

"You stole the Transfiguration mice."

"Well…I…uh… It's animal cruelty!" she exclaimed, "Keeping them trapped in a cage just so kids can practice magic on them. And what about the frog that Mikenney exploded? What if one of the mice ended up like that?"

"What do you think is going to happen to them in the dungeon?" I inquired.

"…Something along the lines of a mouse-society…"

"Dream on. Most likely they're going to be eaten by Filch's cat or one of the other cats that frequent the dungeon."

"Well…at least that's part of nature," she muttered.

"_And _they're used to being fed. They won't know what to do for food. The ones that don't get eaten will starve to death," I said bluntly.

Her face turned pale.

"What if…what if I go recapture them?"

"_Then _you would be saving them from a terrible fate. Only don't let McGonagall see you putting them back."

"I won't," she said and hurried back to where her friend was waiting. I watched as the two of them hurried back towards the castle.

I found myself walking over to where the girls had built the snowman and the snow puppy. I smiled at the snow puppy, which was surprisingly good considering I hadn't seen her use any magic. It wasn't finished though- it had no eyes or mouth.

I walked along the edge of the lake for a while, peering out over the water at fish that jumped and down at the merpeople basking in the shallows. I happened to notice several small, black rocks that had been rubbed smooth by the lake. Without thinking about it, I picked up two stones and walked back to the snow puppy. I used the rocks to make eyes and used a stick to draw the puppy's mouth. Then I caught myself- what the hell was I doing? I dropped the stick and quickly started back towards the castle. The last thing I needed was for Minerva to spot me building a snow puppy- or worse, Albus.

On Christmas morning I awoke late and when I went out into my office, there were two presents on my desk. One was from Albus, who always gave me a gift, this year's being a large box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. The other gift was a luxurious eagle-feather quill. There was a tag attached that said '_Merry Christmas, Snape! ~Olivia.'_

I was surprised at the gift- I hadn't expected anything from her and I certainly hadn't bought her anything. What would I have bought her? A book on Potions most likely. But now I'd only be giving her a present because she got me one. I didn't want to do that. And I didn't want her to actually think I cared.

When I headed up to the Great Hall for lunch, I saw Filch crossing the Entrance Hall with Ms Norris close behind him.

"Professor Snape," he said, his voice sounding hoarser than usual, "Just who I wanted to see."

His eyes were rimmed in red, his nose was running, and his cheeks were flushed. He was quite obviously sick.

"What can I do for you, Filch?" I asked, resisting the urge to take a step backwards.

"I need a Pepperup Potion, sir. I've been sick something awful."

"Have you asked the nurse?"

"She hasn't got any left."

"…Very well. I shall be around your office later this evening."

"Thank you, sir," he said. Then he sneezed loudly and skulked off towards the dungeons. I curled my lip in disgust and continued into the Great Hall.

I went and sat at the staff table and began to eat lunch. I could see Olivia and her friend Mari sitting at the Slytherin table. While I ate, an idea began to grow in my mind and when I had finished eating- and Olivia appeared almost finished as well- I stood and made my way over to the Slytherin table. She saw me approaching and looked curiously at me.

"Happy Christmas, Snape," she said with a smile.

"Right. …Would you like to help me work on a potion?" I asked quickly, before I could change my mind.

"Yeah, of course!"

"Meet me in the Potions classroom in ten minutes."

**Olivia's POV**

Once Snape had left the Great Hall, I said goodbye to Mari and hurried out. I was outside of the Potions classroom five minutes earlier than what Snape had told me. I stood outside the door, bouncing on the balls of my feet, excited that he was letting me help with a potion. The door opened suddenly, startling me, as I hadn't even knocked. Snape peered out at me.

"I had a feeling you were out here. Come on," he said, stepping aside to let me in.

"Yay! What are we working on?" I asked excitedly.

"A large cauldron of Pepperup Potion for Madam Pomfrey," he replied, "Here's the directions. The ingredients listed are for a size 2 cauldron. This is a size 10. Ergo-"

"We need five times as much of everything," I said promptly.

"Right. Take the book and go to the supply cupboard and get the ingredients."

I happily did as asked and when I returned with the ingredients, we laid them out on the desk.

"Now, I want you to do exactly what I tell you," Snape said, "No questions."

"But of course," I answered with a smile.

We got started, with me chopping, slicing, or pounding ingredients under Snape's direction. He made suggestions every now and again, like how I was holding the knife wrong, which I accepted with a small nod and changed whatever he had said to. I barely spoke for the next two hours. I didn't even look at the recipe in the book, just did whatever he told me to. When it came time to add ingredients, he stirred the potion while telling me which ingredients to add when. He made some remarks about why it was important to stir it a certain way or why it was necessary to pull the wings off of the lacewing flies before adding them.

Finally, the potion was finished. Snape peered into the bubbling cauldron while I stood eagerly nearby.

"It's perfect," he said somewhat grudgingly as he stood.

"I couldn't have done it without you," I said flatteringly.

"Humph," he said with a small, twisted smile, "Go get one of the small, empty vials from the supply cupboard."

I did as asked. When I brought him the vial, he ladled some potion into it.

"Now, take this down to Mr. Filch."

I didn't complain but couldn't suppress a groan. Snape raised an eyebrow at me and crossed his arms. I said nothing, just shook my head and left the classroom, taking the vial with me.

I made my way to Filch's office and knocked. There was no answer. I knocked louder. Still no answer. I hesitated a moment, then pushed the door open. Much to my relief, there was no Filch. His office was dark and dreary- well-oiled chains hung from the ceiling. I grimaced and set the potion on his desk, then high-tailed it out of there.

I made my way back to the Potions classroom, but both Snape and the cauldron of potion were gone. I supposed he'd taken it up to Madam Pomfrey. Slightly disappointed, I went to the Slytherin Common Room, where I found Mari playing with a deck of cards.

"Hey Livvy. Want to play a game of Exploding Snap?" she asked me.

"Sure," I replied, sitting down across from her.

"How did it go with Snape?" she asked casually.

"I brewed an entire cauldron of Pepperup Potion," I said brightly.

"Was Snape bitchy?"

"Well…he was a bit critical and he did snap if I did something he didn't like, but I kept my mouth shut and did whatever he told me to."

"Think you could do that everyday? If you were the apprentice?"

"Sure," I replied with a shrug, "…Probably."

"Did he give you anything for Christmas?" she inquired.

"Well…no, but- I think letting me help him brew the Pepperup Potion was his subtle way of giving me a Christmas present."

After a few games of Exploding Snap, Mari and I went out onto the grounds to have a snowball fight. After that we went out to the Quidditch pitch to practice flying. We were eventually joined by a few of the other older students from Slytherin and Ravenclaw and we had a miniature game of Quidditch. All of the older students agreed I was an exceptional flier and more than one suggested I go out for the Quidditch team next year.

Once it started to get dark out, Mari and I went back up to the castle, shivering, our robes wet from the snow. We dried off in front of the fire in the Common Room, then headed upstairs to the Great Hall for dinner. I ate quickly, then conjured up a thermos under the table and filled it with hot chocolate and marshmallows.

After everyone had left the Great Hall, Mari and I slipped out of the empty Entrance Hall and went back out onto the snow-covered grounds. We went back out to where we'd been having our snowball fight and sat inside of the snow-fort I'd built. I made a small, smokeless fire in the middle of the enclosure and we sat around it, drinking hot chocolate.

"Do you think anyone can see the light of the fire from the castle?" Mari asked, peeking her head over the wall to look at Hogwarts.

"Nah," I said reasonably, "It's only a small fire."

We sat there a while in silence, drinking hot chocolate and staring at the flames, which Mari used a Color- Changing Charm to turn from red to blue to green.

"Can you teach me that?" I asked her.

"Sure. It's easy."

Mari explained the charm to me and after a few tries, I got it. I found great delight in being able to change the fire all the different colors of the rainbow. All of a sudden-

"What _are _you doing?" said a voice. I looked up to see Snape peering down at us from over the edge of the snow fort. He looked highly annoyed.

"Mari's teaching me the Color-Changing Charm," I replied innocently.

"I told you not to go sneaking around at night anymore," he said irritably.

"But Snape it's _Christmas_," I said appealingly.

He said nothing, but continued to look down at me, frowning.

"…Care to join us?" I offered.

Mari slid me a look and Snape scoffed.

"No," he said sneeringly, "…be back inside by midnight."

"Yes sir," I said brightly.

He turned and started back up to the castle. I peered over the side of the fort, watching him go.

"Hey Snape!" I called rather loudly, "Sure you don't want to give me detention?"

He didn't so much as stop or glance back at me, just shook his head. I scooped up some snow and quickly formed a snowball.

"Olivia, I don't think you should-" Mari began.

I ignored her and lobbed the snowball at Snape's back. Without looking back, he raised his wand and the snowball changed direction in midair and zoomed back towards me. I ducked and it landed harmlessly on the ground.

"Cheater," I called after him.

I turned around and sat back down on the ground, smiling at Mari's stunned expression.

"Anyone else would be strung up in the dungeons by their ankles," she said in amazement, "You really push the limits, don't you?"

"He's fond of me," I replied with a grin, "He used to look out for me when I was a kid. I don't know if he knows I remember, but I do. He never let anything bad happen to me. He wouldn't let Filch string me up in the dungeons."

"You're lucky to have him on your side."

"I know," I said, still smiling.

**Author's Note: **That's all for now, folks. Please leave me some lovely reviews and I'll have my next update ready as soon as possible. Thanks!


	6. Chapter 5

**Authour's Note: Hi there readers! Thanks for all the reviews. Here's a little update for you, sorry it's been so long.**

**~TheVampyre13**

**Snape's POV**

A heavy snowfall started right after Christmas and a blizzard set in. No one could leave the castle and I did all I could to stop myself from feeling antsy. I graded papers and read books. I spent a lot of time in the library, as did Olivia. She didn't irritate me much and I even sat at a table with her and read on occasion. If I wanted to be left alone, I'd go into the Restricted Section. She'd 'humph' and stick her tongue out at me and I'd have to hide behind a shelf so she didn't see me laughing.

The day before term was due to start back, Albus summoned me to his office. I had been thinking about going for a walk around the castle when I received his note. With a sigh, I left the dungeons and made my way upstairs to his office. The hallways and staircases were all void of students, as the castle was drafty. Probably everyone was squirreled away in their warm Common Rooms. I gave the password to the stone griffin, then knocked on his door and was told to enter. Albus was sitting at his desk, a stack of blank papers in front of him. He motioned for me to sit down. I sat.

"The students are due to come back tomorrow-" he began.

"I know this."

"-but the Hogwarts Express can't travel through this blizzard," he continued, ignoring me, "I can't even get to Hogsmeade for a drink at the Three Broomsticks."

"Well, what're you going to do about it?" I asked.

"I was thinking of postponing the start of term, but I wanted your opinion, Severus."

"Sounds like a good idea to me…you're only asking _me_ because Minerva went home for the holidays and can't get back, aren't you?"

"Of course not. I value your opinion."

"Right," I said with a snort.

"Would you help me send off the letters?"

I shrugged indifferently.

I sat there while Albus wrote out a letter to the parents and copied it onto the rest of the stack of blank papers. With a flick of his wand, the papers folded themselves and stuffed themselves in envelopes which had the Hogwarts seal. He levitated the envelopes in front of him. I followed him first to the Owlery, where he gave a sharp whistle and several hundred owls took flight.

"It might be best to go up to the Astronomy Tower where they can fly better," Albus said as we left the Owlery with the owls following us, the sound of their wings almost drowning out the sound of his voice.

We climbed the several flights of stairs to the Astronomy Tower. By the time we got there I was sweating and when we stepped out, I was blasted by freezing cold air. I immediately noticed small footprints in the snow, which I followed with my eyes to a place where someone was hiding in a crook in the wall. I opened my mind and found that it was Olivia. I glanced at Albus. He didn't appear to have noticed her, but it was possible he had.

I watched as Albus gave each of the owls a letter and sent them off.

"You're sending them off in a storm?" demanded a voice. Albus and I both turned to see Olivia standing there. Her face was red but her arms were crossed and she had a determined look in her emerald eyes. Albus raised an eyebrow at her and she blushed harder.

"I… You can't send them off in a blizzard! It's animal cruelty…sir," she finished weakly. Albus surveyed her silently, then smiled slightly.

"The good thing about owls, Miss Cain- they can fly above the storm clouds," he said to her good-naturedly, "And I can assure you, they will enjoy this more than being cooped up in the Owlery, freezing their tail feathers off."

"Oh. Well…I suppose," she muttered, glancing away.

"It's always good to stand up for what you believe in," he said to her, "And I imagine it took a great deal of courage for you to speak to me in such a manner. I admire your courage. Twenty points to Slytherin."

"I…thank you, sir," she said, surprised.

"Not at all. Severus, I can finish up here. Why don't you take Miss Cain inside? You both look half-frozen."

"Yes headmaster," I said obediently and motioned for Olivia to follow me back into the castle.

We headed back down to the dungeons together and Olivia followed me into my office. I stoked the fire and went to sit at my desk. Olivia dragged the chair from in front of my desk and set it in front of the fire. She plopped down with a sigh.

"You know I still don't think he should've made the birds go out in the snow," she said lightly.

"Well, at least you knew not to press the matter," I said to her, "What were you doing out there anyway?"

"Looking at the chaos of the storm. It was beautiful."

"Beautiful enough to freeze to death for? There's ice on your eyelashes and your hair is wet with snow," I pointed out. She blinked twice and rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Whatever," she said coolly, "It's better than sitting in the Common Room, which is so cool I probably have mildew in my bones. And the dormitories are stuffy, but at least they are warm. You know, I didn't expect Dumbledore to give me house points."

"He's weird like that," I said agreeably, "He really values courage."

"If it was anything else I would have held my silence. I'll only stand up for animals."

**Olivia's POV**

It was an entire week before the blizzard ended and classes resumed. The snow and the cold lasted until March however. I awoke early on the first warm day of Spring and went out onto the grounds before it was even time for breakfast. The snow was almost all melted and flowers were already pushing themselves up to reach the sunlight. I stood there and inhaled deeply, enjoying the smell of the grass and flowers and the feel of the sun on my face.

I started to walk around the grounds, glad to finally be able to stretch my legs and not be stuck in the castle. I couldn't wait for Herbology class. I noticed a willow tree that was planted on the grounds which, like all the other trees, was covered in snow. It stirred suddenly and shook itself, sending all of the snow flying from its bare branches.

"Cool," I said aloud to myself, "A tree that moves."

I started to approach it. When I got close, the tree slung one of it's branches like a whip and slapped me in the face.

"Ow!" I exclaimed, jumping back, out of it's reach. The place where it slapped me stung. I touched it gingerly and my fingers came ago wet with blood.

With an annoyed sigh, I started back to the castle. I was going to have to go see Madam Pomfrey before I went to breakfast. I had just reached the Entrance Hall when I saw Snape coming out of the dungeons.

"What happened to your face?" he asked, walking over to me.

"Some asshole tree slapped me while I was out enjoying Springtime," I replied. A smile twitched at the corners of his mouth, which he tried to hide.

"That was the Whomping Willow. You're lucky you didn't get close enough to get killed," he said shortly.

"I'll bear that in mind for future reference. Is my face still bleeding?"

"Yes."

"Then I have to hurry and go see Madam Pomfrey before breakfast."

"That's not necessary. I can fix it. Come back to my office with me."

I nodded and followed him back into the dungeons.

When we reached his office he sat me down in the chair in front of his desk. He went into the supply cupboard and came back with two potions- an antiseptic and a healing potion. He gently dabbed some of the antiseptic on my face with a cotton ball.

"Ow," I said, drawing away, "It stings."

"It'll hurt even more if you let it get infected," he said shortly, "Then you could end up with a big scar across your face."

That shut me up and I let him clean the wound, then put healing potion on it. I felt the wound close up and I summoned a mirror to check my reflection. There wasn't a trace of a wound, save for some dried blood residue.

"You should go wash your face before breakfast," Snape said to me, "And be quick about it if you want to eat."

"Alright," I said, heading for the door, "…and thanks."

He said nothing. I rolled my eyes and left.

The good Spring weather didn't last long. By April it was raining nearly every day. I spent evenings and afternoons in the library, pouring over the shelves, reading whatever caught my eye. One Saturday afternoon I found myself reading books on Muggle magic- I found the odd things they believed to be intriguing.

I checked out several books and took them with me to supper, so that I could read while I ate. Mari came and sat beside me and picked up one of the books I wasn't reading.

" 'Wicca, a Guide to Muggle Magic'," she read aloud, "Why-?"

"It is interesting," I replied evenly, not looking up from my book.

"But it's not _real_," she said bracingly.

"Who says that out kind of magic is the only kind?"

"It's not- house elves have magic, unicorns, some have said dragons…but not Muggles. The word Muggle specifically means 'non-magic folk'."

"Okay, well, thanks for your input," I said, taking the book from her.

"I didn't mean it to be mean, Olivia," she said quickly, "You can read whatever you want."

"I know," I said lightly, "…When is the next new moon?"

"Tonight. Why?"

"That's what I thought. …I think I'm going to try some Muggle magic."

"Ooh, can I watch?" she asked, intrigued.

"Not unless you want to see me naked," I replied, showing her the passage I had just finished reading about bonfires and dancing.

"Where are you going to do it at?" she asked.

"The forest, of course. Around midnight."

"Well… I cannot, in good conscience, let a first year go into the forest alone. I'll have to go with you," she said with a smile.

"Cool," I said, also smiling, "I'm going to leave before curfew, that way I don't have to sneak out. So bring a book to read or something to do while we wait."

"Okay. See you outside- I'm gonna run down to the Common Room."

I nodded to her, then settled back to finish eating and reading.

I stayed in the Great Hall for quite a while then hurried down to the dungeons. I changed into shorts and a t-shirt, then headed outside with my books. I found Mari outside, sitting by the kale. She had her wand out and was making bubbles come out of the end. At first they were just, round clear bubbles. Then there were square ones, pyramid-shaped ones, ones shaped like clouds. Some were blue, some were green, or orange, or rainbow-colored.

"That's awesome, "I said as I approached her.

She glanced over her shoulder at me and grinned. Then she made one shaped like a snake and it slithered over to me. It flicked out a soap-bubble tongue and licked my nose, then it popper. I closed my eyes to avoid getting soap in them.

"You have _got _to teach me that," I insisted.

"Well it's kind of difficult and you're only a first-year…" she said somewhat doubtfully.

"I can learn," I said certainly.

"…Can't hurt to try. Let's go ahead to the forest."

Mari stowed her wand away. The remaining bubbles floated off over the lake. Then we walked casually into the forest, hoping that no one was paying attention.

It got dark quickly after that and we were unable to continue practicing the bubbles. Then, in a fit of genius, Mari lit the tip of her wand and created several large, luminescent bubbles.

"Awesome," I said in awe.

She just grinned.

"We should have made a pile for the fire already," I said, glancing at my book by the light of the luminescent bubble, "We should have before it got dark."

"It's okay. There's a lot of dry wood around the clearing and pine straw," Mari assured me.

The glowing bubbles followed us around the clearing as we gathered material for the fire. After about 30 minutes we had a huge pile.

"would you like me to light it?" Mari offered.

"No, I want to do it. But we can't light it until almost midnight, according to the book."

We talked for a while, then sat in silence until it was nearing midnight. The little sliver of a moon was high in the sky, hardly casting any light at all. I approached our pile with my wand.

"_Incendio_," I said. A small flame appeared. We watched in silence as the flame grew and consumed the pile.

When the fire was at its full potential, I stripped down, tossed my clothes into the forest, and began to dance around the fire, grinning like a fool. Mari just watched, amused.

"Come on, Mari. You know you want to," I taunted her.

"I don't think so," she replied.

"Oh come on," I whined.

Finally she gave in and started to take off her shirt.

"What have we here?" said a voice in the trees. Mari let out a shriek and a second later the fire went out and threw a blanket of darkness over the clearing. I scrambled in the darkness to find my clothes but couldn't.

"_Lumos_," said a familiar voice that was not Mari's…it was Snape.

I ducked behind a tree as the clearing was flooded with light.

"I know you are there, Olivia," he said.

I couldn't tell if he was angry or not. I hoped not and stepped out from behind the tree, not really caring that I was completely naked.

**Author's Note: Yes I'm afraid I'll have to leave it at that. Don't worry though- the next update should be soon. I finally finished Year 1- YAY!- unfortunately, it's all in notebook form. I have to transcribe it and I'm finding it harder to get time to sit at my computer at home. I've been at school and work like every freaking day. I love my job though. I starting writing for the local newspaper through my school's apprenticeship program. How awesome is that? I've had front page stuff. Best feeling ever. Anyways I see a prospective large chunk of time on my hands in the near future- I have to take the SATs this Saturday so I won't be taking pictures at the football game Friday night. I'm kind of sorry I will miss that (who would have thought I'd ever like **_**anything **_**to do with sports?). But after the SAT, which I'm not worried about (I'm taking it again by choice, the first score I got was enough for me to get into the college I want to go to), after the SAT I might sit at my computer and type the rest of my story. **

**~TheVampyre13**


	7. Chapter 6 Final Chapter of Year 1! :

**Author's Note: Here it is, the last installment of Year 1! Thanks for all the reviews! I won't keep you waiting any longer. J**

**~TheVampyre13**

**Snape's POV**

When Olivia stepped out from behind the tree, I did a double take. She was completely naked but grinning like a fool. I averted my eyes. I removed my cloak and handed it to her wordlessly so she could cover herself. She fastened it around her shoulders.

"What _are _you doing?" I asked her.

"Um…studying Muggle magic," she replied. She picked up a book off the ground and showed it to me.

"Right," I said listlessly, "I'm assuming 'Muggle witches' if there is such a thing, must dance naked?"

"Yes. They believe it brings them closer to nature and makes spells stronger. They also harvest herbs naked when the moon is full. They believe it makes the herbs more potent."

"Ridiculous," I muttered, "So you're out, after hours, in the Forbidden Forest, naked and _alone_…to study Muggle Magic?"

"Uh…yeah, let's go with that," she replied.

I studied her silently, frowning.

"You weren't alone," I concluded.

"I was," she insisted hastily.

I knew she was lying. And I knew who it was she had been with, though I had no proof. She only had one friend, after all.

"Don't lie to me, Olivia," I said in my soft, dangerous voice.

Her emerald eyes flashed guiltily as she looked up at me.

"Alright, I wasn't alone," she admitted, "But I can't tell you who it was."

I was silent a moment.

"I hope, for her own sake, Pirelli had sense enough to go back up to the castle and did not flee deeper into the woods," I remarked.

Olivia paled but remained silent.

"…Come, let us go back up to the castle," I said finally.

"Will you help me find my clothes?" she asked.

"No. But I will wait while _you _find them."

"I haven't a wand- it's with my clothes. It's too dark to see."

"You should have thought of that beforehand," I said, but handed her my wand anyway. The light became a little dimmer as she took it in hand.

"Well I _had _a bonfire," she said pointedly, "So I _could _see just fine, until _someone _made it go out."

She moved away into the trees to look for her clothes, leaving me enveloped in darkness.

"I didn't make your fire go out," I said.

"Oh."

She was silent, the only noise coming from her feet as she crunched along he dead leaves and dry pine needles, looking for her clothes. After a while I heard her stop. I listened intently. Then she screamed. I ran towards the sound, reaching frantically for my wand which wasn't in my pocket, of course, because she had it.

When I reached her, Olivia was staring down at the ground. She had dropped my wand, the tip of which was still lit. I picked up my wand which immediately grew bright so that I could see what it was that had frightened her. A thick black snake was curled up on top of her shirt, which lay on the ground. It hissed loudly and showed it's fangs. I glanced at Olivia, who no longer seemed frightened, but was watching the snake rather interestedly.

With a wave of my wand, I vanished the snake. Olivia looked at me.

"That didn't kill it, did it?" she demanded.

"No. And you're an idiot," I said to her, "You shouldn't have dropped my wand- you could have vanished it yourself."

"It took me by surprise," she said defensively.

"Right," I snorted, "Get dressed. I'll be…over here somewhere."

I started to walk away, taking my wand with me.

"But it's dark!" she protested.

"So?"

"I can't see! What if the snake comes back?"

"It won't come back."

"What if there's a spider in my clothes?"

"Well it would serve you right. You shouldn't have been dancing naked in the Forbidden Forest in the first place," I said coolly, "Besides- you have your own wand now."

"Oh. Right."

A short while later she stepped back out of the trees fully clothed, her wand tip lit. She was still wearing my cloak. I said nothing but started back towards the castle.

"So are you, like, mad at me?" she asked as she followed me back to the castle.

I didn't respond. In fact, I said nothing at all until we were back inside and had made it to the dungeons without seeing anyone.

Se stopped outside the hidden entrance to the Common Room and looked at me expectantly.

"To bed," I told her, "…I would not speak of this again if I were you."

She nodded solemnly and handed me my cloak before giving the password and disappearing into the Common Room.

I stood there a moment after the stone slab closed behind her, then I continued on to my office.

The weather grew warmed and Summer was fast approaching. In the blink of an eye, it was time for end-of-the-year tests. Olivia performed outstanding work on her Potions final, though of course I didn't tell her this. At dinner on the evening of the last day of exams, I asked the other teachers how she had done. Flitwick and Sprout both said she had done well.

"she would have done well in Transfiguration," said McGonagall, "had she not refused to perform magic on animals."

I could think of nothing to say to this but had to try hard not to smile.

Olivia and her friend Pirelli left the Great Hall as soon as they were done eating. I saw them head out onto the grounds once they entered the Entrance Hall, rather than head into the dungeons.

I finished eating slowly, not in any particular hurry to be done. When I was finished I found myself heading outside as well. The sky was just starting to turn pink with the setting of the sun. Kids were all over the grounds, enjoying the fair weather and the fact that exams were over.

After a while of walking around- I told myself I wasn't looking for her- I spotted Olivia laying on her back in the grass behind some bushes near the lake. Her friend was no longer with her. I thought she was looking up at the clouds, but as I approached I saw her eyes were closed. She had a book facedown on her stomach, the title of which was "Faeries and Pixies".

I entered her mind using Legilimency and found that she was daydreaming about pixies the way Muggles thing of them- with rainbow wings and pretty dresses.

She noticed me suddenly- she opened her eyes and looked at me and smiled.

"What're you doing?" I inquired.

"Just thinking and relaxing. What are you doing?"

"I was out for a walk and I spotted you over here on the ground. I came to make sure you were okay."

She smirked at me.

"How were your exams?" I asked hastily.

"You know better than I do, don't you?"

"I only know about your Potions exam. The Heads of Houses don't see students exams from other classes until next week. Were they challenging?"

"Yeah right," she snorted.

She pushed herself up into a sitting position, closed the book and laid it aside.

"Minerva tells me you refused to perform magic on animals for your exam."

"It's inhumane," she said hotly. "And cruel. Did she fail me because of that?"

"She didn't say."

"I hope she did," she muttered.

"Olivia! You don't want to fail," I said, frowning.

"If it makes someone pay attention to animal rights-"

"It won't. You aren't the first student to be obsessed with animal rights. Your failing won't make a difference, it will only hurt you. Eventually they all get over it. You will, too."

She muttered something indistinguishable that sounded a lot like 'yeah right'. I cut my eyes at her then started to walk away.

"Wait, where are you going?" she asked, quickly getting up and following me.

"Well," I said, thinking quickly, "I was thinking about cleaning out the student store cupboard- get rid of ingredients that have expired and organize things that have been misplaced."

"Ooh, can I help? _Pleeease_?" she said earnestly.

"Well," I said slowly, making it seem like a bigger deal than it was, "I _suppose_…"

"Yay! Let's go!" she said and hurried ahead of me towards the castle.

Olivia and I worked in silence for a while down in the dungeons, separating green, usable herbs from he dying brown or yellow ones.

"Have you and plans for the Summer?" I asked casually tossing some unusable Dittany into the waste basket.

"Ellen might have something planned, I dunno. …Mari was talking about going to the beach and she said I could come."

I said nothing but nodded.

"You should stop by the store sometime and see Ellen. I think she misses you."

"Yeah," I said, "Sure."

Though of course I knew I probably wouldn't. I dreaded talking to Ellen. I had avoided her for years, in order to let her raise Olivia the way she wanted to. There was a lot I had never explained to her.

**Olivia's POV**

The end of the school year came faster than I expected. Before I knew it, it was the last day. Classes were over, bags were packed, and everyone was saying goodbye. The train was do to leave in two hours, but I wasn't ready to go yet. I went for one last walk around the grounds, then went back inside and made my way to Snape's office.

He was sitting at his desk, unconcernedly working, as if it were any other day. I came into his office and sat down with a sigh. I looked around his office- the shelves along the walls with the carious vials of potions and jars of wonderfully creepy things.

"I'm going to miss this place," I said remorsefully.

"My office?" Snape said, glancing up form his work with a wry smile.

"Hogwarts in general. Can't I just stay here for the Summer?"

"No students are allowed over the Summer," he said, "It's the only time it's quiet around here."

I rolled my eyes and smiled at him.

"I'm going to miss you," I said lightly.

He cut his eyes at me and scowled.

"Why?" he muttered.

"I have no idea," I said somewhat cheerfully, "You are, without a doubt, one of the most unpleasant people I've ever met."

"Right," he said, still scowling, and continued working.

"Seriously, take care of yourself over the Summer."

"Don't waste your concern."

I just shook my head and smiled. I stood to leave.

"Bye Snape," I said to him, "You really should visit Ellen and I over the Summer."

"Don't hold your breath," he said, then looked up at me again, "…Goodbye Olivia."

"Bye," I said again, then turned and left.

All the students lined up in the Entrance Hall, then McGonagall led us down to the train station where the Hogwarts Express was waiting to take us home. Mari and I found a compartment together and we spent the entire ride home talking, playing cards, and eating chocolate frogs.

When we got off the train at King's Cross Station, Ellen was waiting for me, smiling. We hugged and I introduced her to Mari before she went hurrying off to find her Mum. Then Ellen helped me pile my trunk into a taxi and we headed for home. We talked about school for a while and eventually she brought up Snape.

"So what did you think of your cousin?" she asked.

"Well…he's irritable, unpleasant and most everyone dislikes him."

"That sounds like Severus."

"But I like him. He's nice to me, sometimes. He's going to let me be his apprentice."

"Good," she said, smiling.

She chuckled to herself.

"What's so funny?" I asked curiously.

"Nothing. Tell me about your other teachers."

…

**Snape's POV**

**(Late June)**

It was getting late- the sun was starting to sink low in the sky, turning the light orange-ish. I had been in Diagon Alley most of the afternoon, doing some shopping and running errands for Albus. I had not seen Olivia or Ellen while out and I had successfully avoided Cain's Books the entire day. Once I had finished my errands, I considered going to the Leaky Cauldron for a drink but somehow my feet led me to the bookstore.

I peered through the front window. Ellen was sitting at a desk, reading a book. Olivia was nowhere to be seen. I walked past the window several times before I found myself knocking on the door.

Ellen opened the door and immediately hit me with the book she was holding.

"Ow," I said, jumping back.

"where the _hell _have you been?" she demanded, "Eleven years, Severus! No letters, nothing."

"I've been busy," I mumbled.

"Right," she snorted, "Come in, I suppose."

I followed her into the bookstore hesitantly.

"Where's Olivia?" I asked, glancing around.

"Staying with her friend. An older girl named Mari Pirelli. I'm a bit concerned that she doesn't seem to have any friends her own age."

Ellen locked the bookstore and led me back to her sitting room.

"She isn't on the same level as most kids her age," Is aid, sitting on the couch, "She's smarter than them. Pirelli is a good girl, though. She makes good grades and she's very polite. I believe she may be the only person I've ever seen Olivia actually talk to."

"Her peers aren't _mean _to her, are they?"

"No, of course not. Olivia just isn't concerned with them. If anything, she's actually somewhat cold towards _them_, but I've never heard any of them say anything against her. I believe they respect her because she is somewhat brilliant."

Ellen smiled at me. I felt uneasy, talking to her about Olivia. I wasn't sure why.

Ellen didn't say anything for a while, just studied me curiously.

"You are open about her adoption," I said, "I was surprised."

"Yes. I thought about just raising her as my own…but I couldn't lie to her. She believes she came from an orphanage."

"Isn't _that _lying to her?"

"well, I've never told her otherwise. She just assumes…" Ellen said, "…You should tell her, you know? About your role in her adoption."

"No," I said curtly.

"Why not? She is very fond of you."

"That's a reason in itself. I don't want to be liked. I don't care."

"You mean you don't _want _to care."

I said nothing, but sighed irritably.

"…Just don't tell her, Ellen. I mean it," I said, "…If you ever need anything for her…money, whatever…"

"We don't need your money, cousin. …See? You _do _care."

I stood up.

"I'm needed back at the castle," I said quickly.

"Right," Ellen said skeptically, "Okay Severus. I'm glad you stopped by."

I left without another word and headed to the Leaky Cauldron for a drink.

**Author's Note: Oh my gosh, I'm finally finished with Year 1! I'm so psyched. You guys are going to LOVE the next Year. Um, so I skipped a couple of years and there will now be a time jump to Year 5. Just go with it. Not a lot happened in years 2-4, except that Olivia becomes the Potions apprentice and starts to become attracted to Snape. I'll be posting the next bit soon. J Thanks for all your lovely comments and please continue to read and review!**

**~TheVampyre13**


	8. Year 5 Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Hi! Welcome to Year 5 of Olivia's time at Hogwarts. It will be most fun and interesting. Plus I've already written it all so updates shouldn't be too far apart. Prepare for the awesomeness!**

**~TheVampyre13**

_**(Summer before Olivia's 5th Year)**_

Ellen had started dating a Muggle man named Ryan Mathers right before my third year of school and in the two years since then they had remained together. We'd been to his house a lot and eventually, sometime during my fourth year, Ellen had told him that she and I were witches. After he got over the initial shock, Ellen brought him to our house in Diagon Alley and showed him around the Wizarding world. He was alright as far as Muggles go and I learned a lot from him. He taught me about CDs and music and promised to teach me how to drive a car when I was old enough, which sounded exciting and unnerving at the same time.

Towards the end of the Summer before my fifth year at Hogwarts, Ellen announced that Ryan had received an advance at work and that they'd be going on vacation.

"Just you two?" I asked after she told me, laying in the living room.

"If it weren't for school you could go, too, but we won't be back until mid-September. We're going on a cruise- to Hawaii," she said dreamily.

"You're going to America- without me? What's going to happen to me while you're off gallivanting?"

"Well I was considering leaving you here by yourself, but not with that escaped murderer running about-"

"Like Sirius Black would dare show his face in Diagon Alley- everyone knows what he looks like. If _I _was an escaped convict, I'd be halfway to China by now."

"-Then I thought perhaps you could stay with Mr. Ollivander-"

"No way, Ellen- he's old and creepy."

"He babysat you when you were little," she argued.

"Yeah, but I'm not a _baby _anymore, I-"

"-Which is why I thought of Severus."

I stopped talking immediately.

"Snape?" I asked, not sure if I'd heard right.

"Yes. Would you like that?"

I'd started working as Snape's apprentice during my second year. I'd learned a lot from him and he even let me work on my own potions. My interest in him had not waned a bit and, despite his grumpy demeanor, I had grown fond of him and considered him one of the few people I thought of as friends.

"That's fine with me, I suppose. Where does he live?" I asked Ellen.

"A dreary little place called Spinner's End."

"Hmm. Have you actually talked to him about this arrangement?"

"Well not exactly..."

"He might say no."

"He won't," she said certainly, "He owes me."

So that is how, on August 3rd, I found myself on the Knight Bus, with my trunk crammed full of everything I could possibly need for the next month. The Knight Bus was amazing- it moved faster than Muggles could see, darting in and out of traffic. A shrunken head hung at the front of the bus. It talked in a Jamaican accent and taught me a few swear words I'd never heard before. The Knight Bus made a lot of stops and it was nearly nighttime when they finally called out Spinner's End.

I was the only person getting off there but Stan Shunspike, who worked on the Knight Bus, helped me get my trunk off the bus. Then the bus took off again and I was left standing alone on the side of the road. I took off walking, dragging my trunk behind me, in the direction that I hoped was Snape's house. The streets were narrow, with buildings on all sides that all looked the same. Everything looked old and dirty. Even the air smelled bad. The entire town was in the shadow of an old mill that had obviously not been in use for many years.

Eventually I came to a bunch of houses that looked abandoned. The windows were boarded up and some of the roofs looked as though they were caving in. At the end of a long row of these abandoned houses, I found a house with a light on in the window. I checked the address Ellen had written down for me. It was Snape's house alright. I looked around. I hadn't expected him to live in such a poor place. I had always envisioned him living in a grand, gothic manor of some sort, not a rundown shack.

Still dragging my trunk behind me, I went and knocked on the front door. A few moments passed, then the door was opened and Snape stood there looking out at me.

"Right. Come in, I suppose," he said stiffly.

He stepped aside, opening the door wider so that I could drag my trunk inside. We stepped directly into a small sitting room. There were bookshelves all around, filled with old books. A threadbare sofa, an old armchair, and a rickety wooden table were grouped together in the middle of the room. A candle-filled lamp hung in the direct middle of the room, casting a flickering, dim light. Everything seemed dusty, even the floors. It looked as though it were rarely inhabited which, with his being a teacher most of the year, I assumed it was. I noticed that it was wired with Muggle electricity, like Ryan's house. This surprised me, but then I remembered that Ellen had told me his father had been a Muggle. No doubt this had been his house.

"Not what you expected, I presume?" Snape said, his eyes on me.

"It's not all bad," I said, looking about, "In fact, with all these books, it's not unlike home."

Snape said nothing, but turned and gestured to one of the bookcases with his wand. To my surprise, it sprang aside, revealing a narrow staircase.

"You will find your room up there- the first door on the right. You can decorate it however you like. My room is the last door on the left and it will be locked at all times. You are not to go in there. The bathroom is the door directly in front of your room. The kitchen-" he said, pointing his wand at another bookcase which revealed another hidden passage, "-is there. You'll be pretty much on your own as far as meals go, as I am not accustomed to cooking for two."

He kept his tone cool, but I didn't mind. I had grown accustomed to his ways over the years and, however mean he acted, I got the feeling he actually liked me.

When Snape said nothing more, I dragged my trunk up the narrow staircase. The bookcase automatically closed behind me. I looked around me, listening to the heavy _thunk, thunk _of my trunk on the stairs, as I walked up. Halfway up the stairs there was a picture on the wall. It was a pale, sour-faced woman who had the same black hair as Snape. I could only assume that this was his mum, Eileen Prince, who was Ellen's aunt. Ellen told me she died years ago and I decided against asking Snape about her.

When I reached the top of the stairs, I found the hall with the three doors. I opened the first door on the right, which was to be my room. It was dark inside. I could barely make out a desk, on which stood an unlit candle. Using my wand, I lit the candle, and the room was flooded with a dim light. I could now see the light switch, which I flipped. The bulb overhead gave off a yellow light. The room was quite plain and dreary. The walls were white and the carpet a dull yellowish-tan color. There was a large bed. The sheets were pin-striped cotton, as were the pillowcases. There was a large black comforter folded on the foot of the bed, which was probably the only thing I liked in the entire room, besides the small writing desk in the corner. There was a simple oak bedside table which had an old lamp on it.

I ran my hands through my hair in an exasperated sort of way and looked at myself in the mirror on the old oak wardrobe.

"I've got a lot of work to do," I said to my reflection.

I started with a Color-Changing Charm, which I had learned my first year at Hogwarts so that I would not have to continuously dye my hair red, which I liked so much better than wispy blonde. I started with the carpet, though it took me a while to decide on a color. My favorite colors were green, black, and silver, so I decided to use these as the color palette for my room. I made the carpet black and the walls silver. I then went to work on the bed, changing the bedclothes to emerald green, then, as an afterthought, transfiguring them into satin instead of cotton. The pillows, of which there was only one, I duplicated so that there were three. I changed one of the emerald, satin pillowcases into black satin and put it atop the other two. I left the black comforter the way it was.

"Now, I must do something about the lighting," I said to myself, looking at the lone candle which did my magicked room no justice, "...I need something to transfigure."

I threw open the lid of my trunk and rummaged around until I found some old broken quills. It took me a while to get it right, but, with some effort, I transfigured two broken quills into torches which I could hang on two of the walls. I lit them using my wand, then turned the fire in them green so that they cast a green glow around my room, reminding me of the Slytherin Common Room.

My trunk had been magically expanded to fit a lot of my things, including my collection of about 15 stuffed animals, which I made a shelf for on the wall above the writing desk. I had several books which I put up here also and those that didn't fit I laid on the writing desk, along with my schoolbooks and some parchment, in case I felt like doing homework.

It took me the better part of at least two hours to decorate my room with magic and by the end of that time period I was exhausted. With a satisfied sigh I collapsed onto my bed. A few minutes assed, then there came a knock at my door. I waved my wand lazily and the door opened. Snape stood, staring around my room in awe, then his eyes fell on me. He was silent a moment longer, his black eyes piercing me in a way that made my skin break out in goosebumps.

"You're not supposed to use magic outside of school. The Trace-" he began.

"-isn't real," I finished, "At least, not when you live under a Wizarding roof."

He frowned at me, leaning against the door frame.

"You aren't supposed to know that."

"I read a lot," I replied with a shrug.

"Hmph," he said and something like a smile crossed his face…or maybe it was just a trick of the light, "…You did a good job."

"Thanks," I muttered, blushing at the compliment and looking away so he wouldn't see.

"…I'm going to bed now," he said after a moment, "If you get hungry or anything, you know where the kitchen is. There's not much, but…"

"I don't require much," I said with a brief smile, "I'm pretty much self-sufficient."

He nodded briefly, then turned and left the room.

**Snape's POV**

I was intensely aware of her in the next room as I lay on my bed. I'd given up all hope of trying to sleep, letting my mind wander freely…to her, as it inevitably did. The ridiculously revealing Muggle clothes she had taken to wearing did more harm than good.

I wondered what she was doing now, in her fantastically magicked room. I thought about using Legilimency on her, but decided against it. I had promised myself last year, when I noticed the first glimmer of her affection for me in her mind, that I would stay out of her head. It scared me, that affection. I, Severus Snape, who had unblinkingly faced death multiple times, was afraid of the fact that someone might feel affection for me. It was an impossible notion. So I had dismissed it as puppy love, distanced myself from the girl as much as I could, and let it go.

But now she was _here_, in my house, with those eyes and that smile…

I let out a groan and rolled over in my bed. I shouldn't be thinking of her like this- she's a student _and _she's only fifteen years old. She's still a kid for crying out loud. Just a stupid, ignorant kid. I let out another heavy sigh, closed my eyes, and drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

The next morning when I woke, I was still tired. I forced myself to get up and get dressed. On my way to the stairs, I noticed the green light shining from beneath Olivia's door. I considered knocking to see if she was awake, but decided against it. I continued down the stairs.

As soon as I entered the sitting room, I smelled bacon. Olivia was laying on the couch, a plate on her stomach and a book in her hands- one of _my _books, I might add, though I didn't particularly mind. It took her a moment to realize I was standing there watching her as she read and absentmindedly ate bacon.

"Good morning," she said brightly, "Want some?"

She extended the piece of bacon she had just bitten off of.

"I'll pass," I said dryly. My stomach chose that moment to growl loudly, demanding food. Olivia grinned.

I said nothing, but swiped a piece of toast from her plate as I passed on my way into the kitchen.

I summoned my breakfast from the Hogwarts kitchens, as I usually did. The house elves expected me to do so every morning and set aside food just for this reason for all three meals. Olivia came into the kitchen as I was eating.

"Can I go explore the town?" she asked, putting her plate in the sink.

"Do I look like I care what you do?"

"Uhm…maybe?"

"Hmph. Try again."

She grinned again, her emerald eyes sparkling.

"I'm just gonna go," she said, waving her wand so that the dishes began to wash themselves.

"Don't expect to have fun," I said dryly, "And when you get back I might not be here."

"Why? Where are you going?"

"There's only a month left until term starts back. I have to go to Hogwarts and prepare lessons and…stuff."

"Oh. Hey- what's that door there?" she asked, pointing to a door to the left of the stove.

"Oh that- open it and see."

Curious, she walked over to the door and opened it. She was silent a moment, staring into the room. I came to stand behind her.

"It's a potion-brewing room!" she exclaimed loudly, startling me.

"Right. You can use it, if you want to. You've no doubt noticed I have countless books on potions. You can practice brewing whatever you like- but nothing illegal," I added quickly, "No poisons."

"Aw, you take the fun out of everything," she said lightly, grinning.

I left shortly after that, Disapparating and reappearing right outside the gates of Hogwarts. I started up the path towards the castle. The sun was shining brightly and it was going to be a beautiful, if not hot, day. I thought of Olivia, wandering around Spinner's End, walking along the rubbish-strewn banks of the filthy river, exploring the Muggle shops in the next town, as I had done when I was younger.

I was so lost in thought that I didn't see Dumbledore walking down from the castle until he was a few feet away from me.

"Severus. Just the person I was hoping to see," Dumbledore said, turning so he could walk with me back up to the castle.

"How can I be of service?"

"I wanted to have a word with you about the Defense Against the Dark Arts position. Let's wait until we're back in my office."

I stared at him in silent amazement, not daring to hope that all my dreams were about to come true.

"_Lupin?_" I demanded furiously, "You want _Lupin _to be Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?"

"Yes," said Dumbledore calmly, his hands steepled on top of his desk in front of him, "Is there a problem?"

"You know damned well there's a problem!" I snapped, "One- he's a werewolf, two- this is a school of children, and three- _he's a bloody werewolf!_"

"Severus," Dumbledore said reprovingly, "It's time that you get over your childhood grudge and-"

"It's nothing to do with that," I snapped, "He's a _werewolf_. You want a _werewolf_ loose in a school full of children? Albus, this is a new level of crazy, even for you."

"Which is why you will play a crucial role in Remus' employment here at Hogwarts," he said to me.

"What?" I asked cautiously.

"Remus will need you to brew the Wolfsbane Potion for him every month, to assure that nothing goes wrong."

I said nothing but glowered at him, knowing I couldn't say no to him.

"I'll give you a raise," he said temptingly.

"Fine," I growled, "…I guess I'll be back and forth to the castle a lot, since I'll have to start the first batch here. …My cousin is staying with me."

"Olivia?" he said interestedly.

"Yes…"

"Hmm. Interesting…"

"No. No, it's not interesting at all. She's staying with me because Ellen's on vacation and didn't want to leave her home alone because of Sirius Black."

"And where is she now?"

"Home alone," I said with a faint smile, "Probably wandering around the town."

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not worried about Olivia. She can take care of herself. What would Black want with her anyway?"

"Speaking of Black… the Ministry wants to station Dementors around the outside of Hogwarts this year, in case Black tries to break into the castle."

"Pointless," I snorted, "If Black comes within a mile of me, he's as good as dead."

"We have reason to believe he's after Harry," Dumbledore said, which shut me up immediately, "…Which is another reason it'll be good to have Remus around this year. He can watch out for Harry."

"That's what _I'm _here for," I snapped.

Dumbledore was silent a moment, staring off into space.

"Is Olivia prejudiced against werewolves?" he asked unexpectedly.

"I don't know. It's never come up in conversation," I said dryly.

"Does she seem like the sort of person who would be?"

"Well she _is _a Slytherin, but… she isn't prejudiced against Muggle-borns and she loves animals quite a lot."

"She _is _your apprentice- you could teach her how to brew the Wolfsbane Potion. If you think you can trust her not to tell anyone about Remus' _condition_…then you may tell her."

"It's not a question of trust. …I'll think about it."

"That's all I ask- and Severus? Tell no one else but her."

**Olivia's POV**

As soon as Snape left, I wandered around the house aimlessly for a while, then I went upstairs and took a shower. I used Snape's soap, which smelled amazing, then hurried from the bathroom to my room, naked. I rummaged around in my trunk a moment, then dressed in short, blue jean shorts and a black tank top. I knew it was more revealing than was necessary but it was Summertime and hot outside. I towel-dried my hair and went downstairs. Snape hadn't told me to lock the door and he didn't have any neighbors, so I didn't bother.

I wandered around the little Muggle village just off of Spinner's End. I saw a few shops, including a grocery store which I planned to visit before returning to Snape's house. Somehow, I found myself beside a disgusting-looking river with trash all along the banks. It smelled horrible. I imagined what it must have looked like before humans started dumping waste in the river- probably crystal-clear with bright green grass.

I sighed heavily and continued to walk alongside the river, heading for the old mill which hovered over the town. I could tell it was no longer in use and thought it might make an interesting explore.

The closer I got to the old mill, the dirtier the water seemed to get.

"It was the mill that made this place such a dump," said a quiet voice. I nearly jumped out of my skin- I hadn't heard anyone approach. It was a young girl, around the age of 12 or so. She had thick, long red hair that I was immediately envious of and almond-shaped emerald green eyes that were perhaps a shade darker than my own, and she had a few sparse freckles on her nose. We could have been sisters we were so similar in appearance.

She was standing right in front of me on the path alongside the river, though I could have sworn she had not been there just a moment earlier.

"Who are you? …and where did you come from?"

"Me? I live here…sort of," she said with a smile, "My name's Lily. Who are _you _and where did you come from?"

"My name's Olivia. I'm staying with my grouchy old cousin at Spinner's End."

"You mean Severus?"

"Yeah," I replied, surprised, "You know him?"

"You could say that. He's not as grouchy as all that, you know?"

"Yeah, I know," I replied, also smiling, "…What were you saying about the mill?"

"The river was clean before the mill was built. Of course, there was no town then either. The mill spewed sludge into the river and the people in the town used the banks of the river to dump their garbage."

"Humans disgust me," I said with a sneer, "Animals never destroy nature the way people do."

"Don't sneer, Liv. It doesn't become you," she said and somehow this made me not want to sneer anymore, "Why are you going to the old mill anyway?"

"I just thought I'd go explore. Wanna go?"

"I don't think that's such a good idea," she said seriously, sounding wiser than her years.

"Why not?" I asked curiously.

"It's really quite dangerous. It's condemned, you know?"

"…No, I didn't know that," Is aid, looking towards the mill.

"Come on- I know somewhere more fun than the mill."

She took off back the way I had come and I hurried after her. She led me through the streets until we came to a slightly less-dreary place. I continued following her until she came to a stop at an abandoned park. There was a swing set, a slide, and rusty old monkey bars that didn't look safe.

"I used to come here all the time," Lily said dreamily, sitting down on one of the swings. I sat down on the other. I'd been to a park a few times as a kid and the swings had always been my favorite.

Lily and I began to swing, neither of us speaking. It was a comfortable sort of silence. There was something familiar about her- as if I'd known her my whole life. She started swinging, higher and higher, until it seemed she would swing over the bar. All of a sudden, she jumped out of the swing, giggling madly- _and disappeared!_

I was so startled I fell out of my swing and landed on my face. I scraped my arm a little bit, but other than that I was fine. I looked around wildly to see where Lily had gone, but there was no one about. I watched as the two swings swung to a stop. A chill crept up my spine and, unable to bear standing there a moment longer, I turned and ran back towards Spinner's End.

To take my mind off the eerie experience I stopped by the grocery store on the way back to Snape's house and used the little Muggle money I had to buy food to make for lunch.

Snape didn't come home for lunch, however, so I put the food in the oven to keep it warm. Being alone in the house with my thoughts made me uneasy and, after a few failed attempts at concentrating on a book, I went into the potion-brewing room Snape had shown me earlier. There were four cauldrons in the middle of the dungeon-like room, all of which were currently empty. There was a counter along one wall with a stone basin for washing things. The faucet was shaped like a snake with the water coming out of it's open mouth, which I thought was wicked awesome. Above the counter were several cabinets containing ingredients, tools, and the like.

I spent the rest of the day brewing potions and was barely aware of Snape coming in. He peered into three of the cauldrons, which now had potions bubbling happily away in them.

"You've done good. …Why does my kitchen smell like roast?" he inquired, looking at me curiously.

"Oh I made dinner," I said, hurrying into the kitchen to take the food out of the oven. The sudden brightness of the light made me stop and blink until my eyes adjusted- I'd hardly left the dimly-lit potion-brewing room for six hours.

"You didn't have to do that," Snape said as I took the food out of the oven.

"I wanted to," I said with a shrug, "Besides, I was _bored_."

I set the small kitchen table while Snape stood in the doorway, watching me.

"Well aren't we the domestic one?" he drawled as I put the food on the table. I scowled and threw a potato at him.

"Hey!" he protested, moving quickly out of the way so that the potato thudded harmlessly against the wall and fell to the floor. I waved my wand quickly and it vanished.

An owl brought the _Evening Prophet _and Snape read while we ate. I tried to be silent and still but my mind was reeling again. I wanted desperately to tell him about the vanishing girl, but I wasn't sure he'd believe me.

"I think I'm insane," I announced suddenly.

"So do I," he replied without looking at me. There was a lengthy silence and Snape turned a page in his paper and ate another potato.

"I met a girl today."

"Good for you," he replied disinterestedly.

"She said she knew you."

"Highly unlikely. A Muggle girl?"

"I assumed so, but perhaps not. She said her name was Lily."

The paper fell from in front of Snape's face, which was paler than I had ever seen it.

"Where did you hear that name?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"She told me," I said uncertainly, that chilled feeling creeping back up my spine again. I had the sudden feeling that maybe I shouldn't have brought her up. He closed his eyes, a pained expression on his face…or as close as he could get to a pained expression.

"What… what did she look like?" he asked.

"A little like me, to be honest, but her eyes were a shade darker than mine and almond-shaped. Her hair was thicker and longer, too. She was prettier than me."

Snape opened his eyes and looked at me. Somewhere deep in the black depths of his eyes I saw something akin to sadness. I had never seen such an expression in his eyes and it made me want to either take him in my arms or run upstairs and hide until he was back to normal.

"You aren't lying to me. …Are you?"

"N-no," I replied shakily, "Why would I?"

He said nothing but stood up from the table and left the kitchen. I remained seated, listening to the sound of his quiet footsteps as he went through the sitting room, opened the hidden passage, and went upstairs. The passage closed behind him, silencing the sound of his footsteps.

I stayed seated a moment longer, then stood and began to clean away the dishes, thinking that my already freakishly bizarre day had just become even more so.


	9. Year 5 Chapter 2

**Snape's POV**

I sat on the edge of my bed, numb with shock and disbelief. It was _impossible_… but Olivia had not been lying to me. I _always _knew when people lied and Olivia had never lied to me. So either she had recently become a highly skilled Occlumens…or she was telling the truth.

I had a picture of Lily on my bedside table, identical to the one in my room at Hogwarts. I sat staring at her for the longest time and I eventually heard Olivia come upstairs and go into her room. I remained seated a few moments longer, then stood suddenly, grabbed the picture, and headed for Olivia's room. I had to know for certain.

It was a conscious effort to stop and knock before entering- the last thing I needed was to burst in on her naked.

"Can I come in?" I asked, feeling antsy.

"I suppose," she replied quietly.

I opened the door. She was sitting on the edge of her bed, staring down at her feet. For some bizarre reason, I noticed her toenails were painted silver.

I hurried over to where she sat and thrust the picture towards her.

"Is this the girl you saw?" I asked eagerly. She took the photo from me.

"Yes," she replied, frowning slightly, "But…she was younger. How…how is that possible?"

I stared down at the picture in her hands, then sat down beside her on the bed- or collapsed, really.

"I don't know. …I can fathom no explanation whatsoever. …The girl in this picture…she's been dead for almost 12 years."

Olivia stared at me wordlessly. Her emerald green eyes tore at my heart but I couldn't help but lose myself in them for a moment before blinking and looking away. It was a few minutes before I trusted myself to speak.

"What all did she say to you?" I asked softly.

"I'm not sure I want to talk about this anymore," she said meekly.

"…Please," I said, sounding desperate even to my own ears. She glanced at me quickly, then sighed.

"I was walking along the river when she appeared- I didn't hear her come up or anything. She told me the mill was the reason the river got messed up. I wanted to go explore it but she told me it was dangerous. She took me to an old park. We swung for a little bit, then…"

I waited expectantly.

"…She disappeared," she finished finally, "She jumped out of the swing and vanished. That's why I thought I was crazy."

I was silent a moment.

"You said she said she knew me. How did the subject of me arise?" I inquired.

"Before we started talking about the mill I asked her name. She told me her name and that she "sort of" lived around here. She asked and I told her my name and that I was staying with my cousin on Spinner's End. She said your name. I asked if she knew you and she replied "you could say that". Then we started talking about the mill…she called me Liv."

I closed my eyes, frowning. It made no logical sense.

"…Who is she?" Olivia ventured quietly.

I stood suddenly and took the picture from her.

"Don't dwell on it," I said quickly, my voice a little sharper than I intended.

I left her room and returned to my own to think some more. I could tell Dumbledore and ask what he thought…but I decided against it. The last thing I wanted to hear right now was Albus going on about love.

I set the picture aside and forced myself to think about something else. Lupin. My old childhood enemy, who Albus had hired to teach the subject that _I _had always wanted to teach… and to protect Harry Potter, Lily's son, whom I had sworn to protect. Lupin the werewolf. Now _I _had to brew the Wolfsbane Potion, to keep him from attacking everyone in sight.

I thought about what Dumbledore had said. About telling Olivia about Lupin and letting her help me brew the Wolfsbane Potion. I considered it a moment, then decided against it. I had revealed too much of my true self to her tonight. I didn't want to be any closer to her than was strictly necessary at this point.

September first came quickly, for which I was grateful. I spent most of the month of August at Hogwarts, working on the Wolfsbane Potion and avoiding Olivia, only speaking to her when I had to. I ate my meals at Hogwarts- breakfast, lunch, and dinner- but still found leftovers in the fridge nearly every night from meals that Olivia cooked. I left her Muggle money on the counter for her once a week so she could buy food.

I'm not sure how Olivia took my intentional avoidance. Some nights when I came home, she'd come skipping down the stairs, grinning cheerfully, and ask me how work was or something similar. Other times she was morose and moody. She would be laying on the couch when I came home, her nose buried in one of my books, frowning. Sometimes she locked herself in her room and didn't attempt to speak to me, sometimes for days on end. Either way, she didn't mention Lily again or attempt to question me and for that I was thankful.

Early on the morning of the first of September, I got up and summoned breakfast for two from Hogwarts, which I had never done before. I figured it was her last day here and I should do something special. After summoning breakfast, I went back upstairs and knocked on Olivia's door. There was no response and, after knocking three more times, I pushed the door open.

I peered curiously into the darkness. Olivia had apparently already packed her things- she had had a pile of dirty clothes on the floor, which had accumulated over the month, which were now gone. She'd also had several stuffed animals on shelves she had made, which were now gone as well.

Olivia herself was sprawled on the bed on top of the black comforter. She her face buried in a black pillow, her arms hanging off either side of the bed. She wore nothing but a black tank top and a pair of black underwear.

"Jesus," I muttered, shifting uncomfortably. I waved my wand so that a blanket covered her practically naked form.

"Olivia," I hissed quietly, "Wake up."

She stirred slightly and lifted her head to look at me.

"Snape," she said, sounding surprised, "Hi."

"Hi," I responded, feeling idiotic, "…Uh…Breakfast-" I gestured over my shoulder.

"No shit?" she asked with a yawn.

I suppressed the urge to let out a snort of laughter.

"Language," I warned her.

"Sorry. It's early," she replied sheepishly.

"The Hogwarts Express leaves at 10."

"Can't I just go with you?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"The train is part of the Hogwarts experience. Now get dressed and come downstairs to eat breakfast."

Olivia threw off the covers and slid out of bed, not seeming to care hat she treated me to another unwanted- consciously anyway- view of her long pale legs and her thing black panties that barely covered her-

"Put pants on," I growled, then turned and walked back downstairs before she could respond.

_She's fifteen_, I chided myself, trying desperately to ignore the tightness in my pants, _She's fifteen, she's a student…and she's your cousin._

_Ah, but she's not _really _your cousin, is she? _said another part of my brain that had been dormant until now, _She's not blood related…and she's not like other students. _And _she looks so much like Lily…_

I kindly told that part of my brain to shut the fuck up.

Olivia came downstairs a few minutes later wearing jeans and an orange t-shirt. She was blushing slightly but didn't say anything as she sat down at the table.

"So presumably that ass- I mean, _Lockhart_- isn't teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts again this year," she said casually.

I smiled briefly. Olivia had hated Gilderoy Lockhart as much as the teachers had.

"No- I believe he's spending an extended amount of time in St. Mungo's, trying to regain his memory," I said.

"Good. He deserves it. So, who _is _going to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts?"

"No one that you would know," I mumbled in reply.

**Olivia's POV**

After breakfast, Snape told me a cab was coming to pick me up and take me to the train station to catch the Hogwarts Express.

"You're kidding, right?" I growled, "An hour ride in a disgusting Muggle taxi with a creeper driver who leers at me in the rearview mirror the whole ride?"

Snape appeared at a loss for words.

"It's what Ellen does," I explained, "Or has done. Not always. I thought you would be different, though… Can't you just _Floo _me there?"

"Well… I suppose you _could_. We don't want anyone _leering _at you, do we?"

About an hour later I dragged my trunk downstairs to the sitting room where Snape was standing by the fireplace with a small pouch of Floo powder.

"You _have _used Floo powder before, haven't you?" he asked me.

"Of course."

"Good. When you step into the flames, say Platform 9 ¾. It'll take you directly to the magical side of the barrier."

I nodded briefly and took a fistful of glittered green powder. I tossed it into the fire and the flames turned emerald green. I took a deep breath and stepped into the fireplace.

"Platform 9 ¾," I said clearly.

When I stepped out onto the platform, I looked around curiously. I was earlier than normal and there were only a few kids there- luckily, one of these was my friend Mari, who was a sixth year.

"Hi Olivia," she said as she walked over to me, smiling, "Want to go find a compartment before more people start showing up?"

"Definitely."

Mari and I found a compartment close to the front of the train. We dragged our trunks and Mari's cat's cage into the empty compartment. As soon as Mari shut the compartment door, I opened the door to the cage. Her stripped orange cat, Nemo, stepped out of the cage regally. I scratched his ears and talked to him softly and within minutes, Nemo was curled up in my lap, asleep.

"You're so good with animals," Mari remarked, staring absently out the window, "Why don't you have a pet?"

"Ellen's allergic," I replied, wrinkling my nose, "But I feed the stray cats and dogs in the alley behind me house."

"Oh. Hey- who is that? I thought only students rode on the Hogwarts Express."

Curious, I craned my neck to see who she was looking at. There was a man on the platform. From what I could see he had brown hair and wore shabby robes that were patched in some places.

"He must be a teacher. Maybe he's the one whose taking Lockhart's place," I said.

"He looked homeless," she said, wrinkling her nose.

The train took off shortly after that. Mari and I spent the ride playing with Nemo and talking about our Summers. She had stayed with her grandma in Ireland. As for me…

"You stayed with Snape?" she asked, both shocked and intrigued, "What was it like?"

"Lonely," I replied truthfully, "He spent most of the time at Hogwarts."

"What was his house like?" she asked eagerly, "Was it old and creepy?"

"Yeah," I said, nodding enthusiastically, "It was _awesome_. He has tons of books on Potions and the Dark Arts."

"I almost forgot you have a thing for Snape," she said, grinning.

"Why do you have to make it sound like that?" I demanded, "I don't 'have a thing for Snape'_._ He's my cousin."

"Yeah, but not _really_," she said bracingly.

"Can we talk about something else now?" I asked hurriedly.

"No, we can't. In all your years at Hogwarts you've never had a boyfriend. You've turned down every guy that's ever asked you out."

"I have no interest in boys."

"Girls, then."

"Mari-" I began exasperatedly.

At that moment the train started to slow down. Frowning, Mari turned and looked out the window.

"What's going on? We're nowhere near Hogwarts."

I shrugged my shoulders. The train squealed to a stop. Outside the window it was cold and foggy.

All of a sudden, the lights went out. I heard several screams throughout the train. I jumped to my feet, whipping out my wand. Nemo, who had still been sleeping on my lap, clawed me, hissing angrily, then streaked beneath the seat.

The door to the compartment flew open suddenly, bringing with it a flow of air so cold it chilled me to the bone. A hooded figure stood in the doorway. A sudden feeling of dread swept over me and for some reason I was reminded of the day Lily disappeared. My heart felt wrenched painfully.

"S-Stupefy!" I stammered, aiming my wand at the figure, which was so clearly evil. The spell didn't work quite right however and passed harmlessly through the figure, which immediately turned and started to glide towards me. I lost my grip on my wand and slid to the floor, numb with cold, grief, and fear. Nemo came out from underneath the seat and hissed at the figure in the doorway.

I didn't fall unconscious but I did close my eyes and found that my eyelids were too heavy to open, even when the lights came back on. I was vaguely aware of Mari saying my name, but I couldn't made myself speak. I was suddenly aware of another presence in the room.

"What happened?" asked a voice. Male. Definitely not a kid.

"She collapsed," Mari replied anxiously.

Whoever it was leaned down close to me. He smelled warm, like forest and dog. Something was pressed to my lips and I closed my mouth tight, recalling in a second several deadly poisons I had recently read about.

"Eat it, girl. It's chocolate. It'll help," said the voice. He called me 'girl' like Snape sometimes did. This was perhaps the only reason I opened my mouth. That and the fact that I liked the voice that was speaking to me. It was soft and certain…comforting.

Warmth tingled in my lips, then spread to my stomach and flooded my body. I opened my eyes to find a pair of concerned brown eyes inches from my own. A smile spread over his face and he stepped backwards. It was the man from the Platform.

I chewed the chocolate slowly, savoring the flavor and the warmth.

"That was a dementor, wasn't it?" I asked as the man helped me to my feet.

"Yes. Are you alright?"

"…Yeah."

"Good. I'm going to have a word with the driver," he replied, stepping out of our compartment.

Once he was gone I collapsed back into my seat, staring after him.

"Are you sure you're not going to faint again?" Mari asked, "You look pale."

"I didn't faint. I could still hear you. Everything just got really…heavy," I murmured, "I'm fine now thought. ….Looks like we finally got a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher that knows what he's talking about."

Mari was silent a moment, also looking towards the door, which he had left open.

"That really was a dementor, wasn't it?" she said with a shudder, "I've never seen one before."

"Me neither. I've read about them though."

"Snape didn't mention they'd be on the train, did he? I wonder if the teachers even knew."

"He appeared disconcerted," I said, gesturing towards the door, "I don't think Snape knew. He would've said something."

A short while later, the man who had given me the chocolate stopped back by.

"We should be at Hogwarts soon," he said to us.

"Are you the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?" I asked quickly. He smiled.

"Yes."

"What's your name?" I inquired.

"Professor Remus Lupin."

"Professor Lupin, huh? I like your surname. It's Latin for 'wolf'."

He looked a little startled, but smiled.

"Yes, it is. I've got to go check on a few other people. You weren't the only one who was badly affected. I need to pass out more chocolate."

"Do you want some help?" I offered.

"Well…sure," he said, surprised, "Thanks."

"No problem."

Mari looked at me curiously as I followed Lupin out and I shrugged at her.

Once out in the corridor, Lupin handed me several large bars of chocolate.

"What House are you in?" he inquired.

"Slytherin."

"Right- you go to the Slytherin and Ravenclaw boxcars and give chocolate to anyone who needs it. If someone looks like they need it but refuse, come tell me. I'll be in the Gryffindor or Hufflepuff boxcar. If you start to run out of chocolate, I can do a Geminio charm-"

"_I _can do a Geminio charm, too," I interrupted.

"Really? You're quite bright, aren't you?" he asked with a smile, "…What's your name?"

"Olivia. Olivia Cain," I replied.

"Well Miss Cain…shall we get to work?"

I nodded my head briefly and took off towards the Slytherin compartments.

By the time the train pulled to a stop at Hogsmeade I had given away most of the chocolate. I got out on the Platform and followed my fellow students to where the carriages waited to take us to the castle. I climbed into an empty carriage and looked around to see if Mari was anywhere around. I immediately spotted Lupin, who was waiting for the students to pile into the carriages before getting in one himself.

"Professor Lupin?" I called and motioned for him to come sit with me. He smiled and accepted my offer.

"You are possibly the nicest Slytherin I've ever met," he said once he was seated.

"Not really," I said, shaking my head, "I don't have many friends. I don't particularly like people, especially my classmates. …I'm better with animals to be honest. Animals and potions."

"You like animals?" he asked interestedly.

"Yeah. I want to be a wizard veterinarian when I leave Hogwarts. I'm going to invent potions for animals- I've already got a few actually. I've been the Potion Master's apprentice for two years."

"You work with Snape a lot then?"

"Yeah," I replied and smiled, "He's my cousin. Well, sort of- His cousin Ellen adopted me."

"You like him?"

"Well enough. He can be difficult at times, but I've gotten used to it. …Underneath his cold exterior, he's really a good person."

"We went to school together. I haven't seen him in ages. …He used to hate me. I hope he doesn't still hold a grudge."

"Why did he hate you?"

"We didn't get along at all when we were in school. I was in Gryffindor, he was in Slytherin."

I had noticed that Lupin wasn't looking at me when he spoke. I followed his gaze to see Potter and his friends.

"He's not all that interesting, really- Potter that is. Everyone's always trying to get a glimpse of the famous Harry Potter, but he's nothing special. He's an average student with more-talented friends. That Hermione Granger- the bushy haired girl sitting with him- she's infinitely more interesting than Potter. She's top of the class for Gryffindor, like I am for Slytherin."

"Conceited much?" he asked, smiling.

"No," I said quickly, "I'm just smart. I read a lot. I was able to do magic before I started school."

"I take it you mean actual spells and not the random magic most underage wizards do."

"Exactly."

"You're a lot like Snape then."

"I…am?"

"Yes. He could do more magic than anyone else our first year of school. He was forever inventing spells."

I was intrigued by this tidbit of information.

As the carriages rolled through Hogwarts Gates, I spotted several dementors flanking either side of the gate. I gripped my wand tightly in my sweaty hand. Lupin didn't speak until we were past them.

"They're going to be at all the entrances to Hogwarts this year," he said.

"Why?"

"Sirius Black."

"The escaped convict?"

He nodded.

"What would he want with Hogwarts?"

"Who knows?" he said, looking away from me and back at the dementors, "…He's crazy."

I sensed something almost sad in his voice and it puzzled me.

"Oh look, the lake," Lupin said, quickly changing the subject. As the path to the castle took us close to the lake, Lupin stared down at the water.

"Have any of your previous Defense teachers taught you about the creatures that live in the lake?" he asked me.

"No," I said with a snort of laughter, "Last year we had Lockhart, the self-obsessed incompetent ass. The only animal he ever brought to class was Cornish pixies. They escaped and destroyed the classroom. Before Lockhart we had Quirrel, who was scared of his own subject and, let's face it, had the Dark Lord sticking out of the back of his head. Before Quirrel-"

"Why do you call Voldemort the Dark Lord?" he asked curiously. The use of the Dark Lord's true name startled me.

"Why do you use his real name?" I asked.

"Not using his name only increases the widespread fear of Voldemort himself. Voldemort himself is already frightening enough. We don't need to make him more so by not using his name."

"Oh."

"Why do you call him the Dark Lord?"

"…I don't know. It's what Snape always calls him. I guess I picked up on it. He's not the only one. I am in Slytherin, after all. Some of my classmates _brag _about the fact their parents were Death Eaters," I said quietly.

As the carriages pulled up at Hogwarts, we saw Potter and his friends facing off with a Slytherin boy named Draco Malfoy and his mindless cronies. Draco was a few years younger than me. I'd seen him before and Snape liked him well enough. He seemed like a suck up to me.

"You fainted Potter? You _actually _fainted?" Malfoy said to Potter as Lupin climbed out of the carriage.

"Is there a problem?" Lupin asked mildly, interfering.

"Oh no, er, _professor_," Malfoy said with a smirk, eyeing Lupin's shabby clothes distastefully.

Malfoy and his friends turned and went into the castle and Potter went in as well. I scowled after Malfoy, mildly annoyed that he had been disrespectful to Lupin, who I had a growing respect for.

Al of a sudden, it felt like something stepped on my foot. I turned. Inches from my face, fog appeared in midair, as if something invisible was breathing.

"Professor Lupin?" I asked somewhat anxiously, "I think something stepped on my foot."

He turned and stared at the something in front of me.

"It's a Thestral," he said calmly, "They pull the Hogwarts carriages. Do you know what a Thestral is?"

"Oh yeah. I've read about them," I said, relaxing slightly. I reached out tentatively and felt the solid skeletal outline of the creature I couldn't see. I patted its scaly head and it nudged me affectionately.

"You can only see them if you've seen death, right?" I asked as we headed into the castle.

"Right. Most people think they're scary or dangerous because they're associated with bad luck," Lupin replied.

"That's just stupid. They're completely harmless."

**Snape's POV**

I was sitting at the staff table when the doors to the Great Hall opened and children began to trickle in. I found myself subconsciously scanning the sea of students for her face. She entered the hall suddenly and my heart skipped a beat- then turned cold as ice when Is aw that she was walking alongside, and even _talking to_, Lupin.

_How? _I thought to myself, _How did this happen? Lupin…and Olivia- _my _Olivia? Chatting like they've been friends for years._

I tentatively prodded Olivia's mind, despite my promise to myself that I never would again.

Perhaps it would've been better if I had kept my promise and stayed out of her mind. I found in her subconscious a growing respect and fondness for Lupin. I hated that this made me feel hurt so I steeled myself against it and plunged myself into the mind of my hated enemy.

Rage filled me when I found the fondness he felt for her as well. He was immensely intrigued by her, the kind young Slytherin girl who loved animals.

My rage caused the werewolf to notice my presence in his mind. I withdrew from his mind quickly and Lupin looked around, alert. I turned and let myself be engaged in a conversation between Sprout and Albus about adding a new plant to Greenhouse 4.

I watched indiscreetly as Lupin and Olivia parted ways upon reaching the Slytherin table. Olivia sat down by her friend Mari Pirelli, as she always did. They both watched as Lupin made his way up to the staff table. He glanced back at her once and they shared a smile. Anger bubbled up inside of me.

As Lupin walked past me, he smiled politely.

"Hello Severus."

I said nothing but ignored him completely as he sat down, not even looking his way.

The first years soon entered the Great Hall and the Sorting commenced. Then came the feast and Albus' speech. When Albus announced Lupin's appointment as Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, I glanced at him without meaning to, unable to keep myself from glaring.

When the feast was over and all the kids headed for their dormitories I stood to leave as well, wondering if Olivia would be waiting for me in the Entrance Hall, as she sometimes did.

"Severus," a voice said loudly as I reached the door to the Great Hall. I turned reluctantly to face Lupin as he came after me.

"Hello…Lupin," I said, narrowing my eyes at him.

"I met your cousin," he said casually.

"Really?" I replied disinterestedly.

"She's a brilliant girl."

"I am aware."

I turned and left the Great Hall. Lupin followed.

"Severus. I wanted to apologize… for when we were kids-"

"Forget it," I snapped. He inclined his head and stopped following me. I glanced around the Entrance Hall. Olivia was nowhere to be seen. I continued on to the dungeons alone and headed to my office.

A short while later there was a knock on my office door. Thinking it was Olivia, I smiled to myself and waved my wand, opening the door by magic. It wasn't Olivia, however- it was Albus. My smile faded.

"Disappointed to see me?" Albus asked.

"No. I was expecting-…well, it doesn't matter."

"I could come back?" he offered.

"No, no. Sit," I insisted.

He sat down.

"I couldn't help but notice your open hostility towards Remus," he said to me. I scowled.

"Never mind. You can come back alter," I said sarcastically, "…Well what do you expect from me, Albus?"

"Why do you still hold a grudge against Remus?"

"I hate him. He's an ass."

"Severus, he's really not that bad. He's polite and quiet. You're holding his past against him."

"He and _Potter _and _Black _made my life _hell_. You know that."

"Severus…" he said, exasperated, "…If everyone held grudges like you held grudges, you would be in Azkaban now."

I sighed heavily and stared at him, saying nothing. As if my night hadn't sucked enough already.

"I saw him and Olivia together. I know you saw them, too," Albus said.

"Just another reason for me to hate him. What kind of grown man- a teacher, no less- would make friends with a fifteen-year-old girl?"

"How about yourself?"

I scowled at him.

"She's my cousin."

"Not _really_."

"Then she's my apprentice. We aren't _friends_."

"Then why are you jealous?"

"I'm not _jealous_," I sneered, "It's inappropriate for Lupin to be friends with her. And he's a werewolf."

Dumbledore heaved a sigh.

"You can't be openly hostile towards Remus. This is a school and children are perceptive."

"…Fine. I'm not going to be nice to him, but I won't be openly hostile."

"That's all I ask," he said, standing up.

Once Albus was gone, I sat up for about an hour at my desk, reading but not really absorbing what I was reading because I half-expected there to be a knock at my door any minute.

By midnight no knock had come. I knew she wasn't going to come. I also knew I wasn't going to sleep very well. I decided a walk around the grounds might help a bit so I got up, locked my office door, and headed outside.

**Olivia's POV**

I slipped out the door to the castle, invisible. I had mastered the Disillusionment Charm last year, which would turn you completely invisible if you were skilled enough which, after a lot of practice, I was.

I didn't know why I was sneaking out, except that I hoped the fresh air would clear my head enough for me to feel sleepy.

I was heading down to the lake when I saw I wasn't the only one out and about. Lupin was standing down by the lake, his face turned towards the night sky. The moon was a little sliver of a smile in the night sky, amongst the bright twinkling stars.

Lupin turned suddenly and looked around.

"I know there's someone there," he said loudly, his wand in his hand, "Show yourself!"

I hesitated, then decided to trust him. The worst that could happen was a detention with him, which I wasn't sure I would mind at all. I lifted my Disillusionment Charm.

"Hello again," I said with a faint smile.

"It's you," he said, surprised, "You know Legilimency?"

"Legili- what?"

"Legilimency. The art of infiltrating the minds of others. …Someone's been in my mind at least twice tonight. It's not you?"

"No way. I can't do that… sounds kinda awesome though."

"It's really difficult. Especially if you can't employ Occlumency to defend yourself. I'm surprised Snape hasn't taught you Occlumency- he's quite skilled at it. I never learned it myself, but I can feel it when someone's in my head, especially if their Occlumency is faulty."

"Okay, that's weird. Who would be reading your thoughts?"

He shrugged.

"What're you doing out here anyway?" he asked.

"I wanted to go for a walk and clear my head so I could sleep. I didn't think I was going to get accosted."

"Oh am I accosting you?" he asked with a grin.

"Are you going to report me for being out after hours?"

"Hm… I think not. That would require me to converse with your Head of House and that's not the best of ideas, as I found out earlier."

"Are you going to give me detention?"

"We'll see," he said with a smile, "Would you like to help me with something?"

"Sure," I replied eagerly.

"I want to capture a grindylow for my Defense Against the Dark Arts class. You can help. Now, what do you know about grindylows?"

"They're water demons. Relatively harmless, classified XX by the Ministry. Some Muggles believe in them and think they eat children, though most think they don't exist. They're generally opposed to humans. Merpeople have been known to keep them as pets."

"Is there anything you _don't _know?" he asked, amused.

"How are we going to catch one?"

"I've been thinking about that. I thought about just levitating one out of the water, but it just didn't seem fair."

I nodded my head in agreement.

"What if you use a net?" I suggested, "You could make one and use magic to drag it across the bottom. Just throw back whatever isn't a grindylow.

"Like fishing," he said, "But what if I accidentally catch a merperson?"

"It's not going to kill them. Besides, they're probably asleep."

"Alright," Lupin said agreeably, "Let's do this."

He turned to the lake, his wand raised. He waved his wand and a magical net appeared. He cast his wand and the net followed the movement. He played with the net a moment, getting used to controlling it, then he plunged it into the lake. He dragged it across the bottom a moment, then pulled it up. Caught in the net were several fish, a few snakes, and one pale-green grindylow. The snakes and the fish slid unharmed through the holes in the net back into the lake. The magical netting kept both water and grindylow in the shape of a sphere. As Lupin brought the sphere towards land, the grindylow glared at us and stuck it's long fingers through the holes in the net, trying to grab us.

"Hm. How good are you at casting a Shield Charm?" Lupin asked me, keeping the grindylow a safe distance from us, "I don't want him to stick his fingers through the net and grab hold of anything…or anyone."

I nodded my head and pulled out my wand.

"_Protego_," I said, forming the magic into a circle around he net, which kept anything from getting in or out."

"Very good, Miss Cain."

"You can call me Olivia," I said, "Do you have a tank to put the grindylow in?"

"In my office," he said with a nod. We started back towards the castle.

"Are you going to put him back in the lake after you use him for teaching?" I asked Lupin, looking at the grindylow who was scowling at us through the net. _He reminds me a little of Snape,_ I thought, smiling to myself.

"Of course," Lupin replied.

As we got closer to the castle, I reapplied my Disillusionment Charm so that if anyone was lurking about they would only see Lupin. I didn't remove the charm until we were upstairs in Lupin's office. A large tank was against one wall of the room. Lupin dropped the water and the grindylow into the tank carefully.

"I should've gotten fish," Lupin said, watching as the grindylow swam around its new environment.

"You should take one of your younger classes and get them to get fish to feed the grindylow. They'd probably think it was cool," I suggested.

"That's a very good idea, Olivia. I could take my second-year students."

"When will the fifth years take your class?" I asked curiously.

"Tomorrow, after lunch. That reminds me- you know you should probably go to bed now. You _do_ have classes tomorrow."

"Yeah, alright. Goodnight Professor," I said with a small smile.

"Goodnight Olivia."

I hurried down to the dungeons to the Slytherin Common Room. I paused briefly outside of the empty Potions classroom. I thought about going to see Snape. I did want to talk to him about he dementors, but I decided against so late. He'd act huffy about it. Besides, he'd probably seen enough of me the past month.

When I reached the Slytherin Common Room, I was surprised to find Mari sitting up waiting for me.

"What've you been doing?" she asked with a smirk.

"I went for a walk. …I ended up helping Professor Lupin catch a grindylow."

"He caught you out?"

"Yep."

"And he didn't report you?"

"Nope."

"Or give you detention?"

"Nope."

"He must like you," she said with a mischievous grin.

"Or he could just be a nice person. Why do you always have to make things sound so inappropriate?" I said as I headed towards the dormitory.

"Well he _is _kinda cute, don't you think?" she asked following me.

"Goodnight Mari," I said, shaking my head incredulously.

"Oh come on, Livvy- you think he's cute, right? What about Snape?"

"Goodnight Mari," I repeated firmly.

**Snape's POV**

The next morning during breakfast I handed out the Slytherin schedules. I passed them out by hand, rather than buy magic, like I usually did. When I approached Olivia, I overheard her talking to her friend Mari.

"They're both old," she said irritably, "Now stop making lewd implications and eat your breakfast."

They stopped talking when they saw me approach and Olivia blushed faintly. I handed them their class schedules wordlessly and continued down the line of students.

Once all the schedules had been handed out, I left the Great Hall and headed towards the Potions classroom to prepare for my first class of the year. Halfway across the Entrance Hall, a voice called out to me.

"Oi! Wait up," Olivia said, hurrying after me, her schoolbag slung over one shoulder. I didn't stop walking but continued on towards the classroom. She followed me.

"I want to talk to you," she said.

"So talk," I replied shortly.

She waited until we reached the Potions classroom.

"Why don't you like Lupin?" she asked, sitting on top of the desk that was closest to mine.

"I have my reasons," I replied.

"I didn't really expect you to tell me," she said with a sigh, "So it's not good for me to be friends with him?"

"I don't care who you're friends with," I snapped, "Why should I?"

"You're mad. I can tell you're mad. I won't be friends with him."

"Do whatever you want. …I saw you out with him last night and I didn't report you."

"Really? You didn't report us?"

"No."

"So you really don't care?"

"Not in the least."

"Okay then. Can I help you prepare for your class?"

"Sure. Get the book off my desk and write the directions for the Hunger-Suppressing Potion on the blackboard."

She got the book and picked up the chalk and began to write. I checked the store cupboards and walked around the room, listening to the sound of the chalk on the chalkboard. I found myself watching her as she wrote. The way her hair went in waves down her back reminded me of Lily.

"There were dementors on the Hogwarts Express," she said conversationally.

"I heard. You didn't faint, did you?"

"Of course not," she replied, "…But it was still really horrible. Cold and…heavy."

"I don't particularly like them either. Dumbledore especially hates them."

"Why did he let them on the train, then? And all around the castle?" she asked curiously.

"Safety measures."

"Because of Sirius Black, right? I don't get it- what would he want at Hogwarts."

"He's crazy, Olivia. He murdered 13 people with a single curse."

"Lupin's very weird about it."

I felt briefly irritated.

"…They were friends when they were kids," I said to her.

"Really?" she asked, surprised, "…That explains it then."

At that moment the bell rang. Olivia hurried to finish writing the directions on the chalkboard, then grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder.

"Off to Transfiguration," she said with a sigh.

I said nothing, merely watched her as she left the classroom.

"Good luck with your classes," she said as she opened the door.

"Right," I replied sardonically.

My first class of the day entered the room and I set them to work brewing Potions. While most of the class got off to a wretched start, I sat at my desk, for once not caring that they were failing miserably or bothering to ridicule their efforts. Even when William Berek melted his cauldron into a disfigured blob, I didn't so much as glance up. Instead I found myself absently staring at the writing on the chalkboard. The way her 'y's looped and her letters flowed together in her distinctly feminine handwriting.

I shook my head and forced myself to look elsewhere. I stared down at my desk, frowning. Olivia would have her first class with Lupin after lunch. I should've told her I didn't approve of their friendship…but that would have meant admitting to her that I actually cared about her.

**Author's Note: I promise I'll have the next chapter up soon. Stay tuned to read about Olivia's first class with Lupin. J In the meantime, leave me some good reviews! Thanks all.**

**~TheVampyre13**


	10. Year 5 Chapter 3

**Olivia's POV**

The bell rang for lunch right after my Herbology class and I hurried up to the castle in front of my classmates so I could wash up before lunch. When I finally went up to the Great Hall, I sat down beside Mari, who immediately turned to me excitedly.

"Have you had Professor Lupin's class yet?" she inquired.

"No. I'm due to have it right after lunch," I replied, "Why? What's it like?"

"It's unlike any Defense Against the Dark Arts class we've had before," she answered solemnly.

"What did you do?"

"You'll see for yourself soon enough."

I ate as quickly as possible but it still seemed like hours before the bell rang to signal the end of lunch. When the bell finally did ring, I was the first one up the stairs to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. The door was open, but Lupin was nowhere to be seen. Nevertheless, I hurried into the classroom and sat at the desk closest to Lupin's.

Other kids trickled into the room and I found myself sitting between two Ravenclaw girls who immediately scooted their chairs to the edge of the desk when I shot them looks.

Once everyone was seated and began to take out their books, Lupin came in through the door.

"You won't need those books," he said mildly, looking us over as he made his way to the front of the class, "But you will need your wands. But perhaps, I should call roll first? Yes, let's see- Addams, Angela?"

"Here," said the blonde girl sitting to the left of me, smiling.

"Right then. Birr, Michael? Good. Cain, Olivia?"

I smiled at him and raised my hand.

"There you are," he said, also smiling, "Now, Connel, David?"

When Lupin finished calling roll, he stood from where he had been sitting on the edge of his desk.

"Now, if you'll all follow me, please? You can leave your books and things here. All you'll need is your wands."

I hurried out the door so I could walk with Lupin.

"How are your classes so far… Olivia?" he asked.

"Well enough, I suppose. Transfiguration was interesting- well, if McGonagall hadn't lectured us about our OWLs for most of the class period. But she did talk about Animagi, which are pretty awesome.

"You want to be an Animagus?" he asked with a somewhat amused smile.

"Of course," I replied, surprised he would even ask, "I love animals. If I could be one…"

"What animal do you think you would be?" he inquired as he led the class down the stairs.

"Probably a snake or a bat or something Slytherin-y like that. I could really care less. I love all animals. …Where are you taking us anyway?" I asked as we turned down one of the corridors.

"You'll see," he said with a smile and a quick wink.

"No grindylow?"

"Not today. I thought I'd make a big impression today."

Presently we came to a stop outside of the staff room. I had never been in the staff room before, not even with Snape, so I was curious when Lupin opened the door. It looked as if everything- tables, chairs, and things- had been pushed to the side so that the main object in the room was a wardrobe which rattled violently. My attention was drawn from the wardrobe, however, to a chair in the corner, where sat a glowering Snape. I waved half-heartedly. He glanced past me at Lupin.

"Hello, _Lupin_. I was hoping to see how my students did in you first class. Mind if I stay and watch?" Snape asked with a faint sneer.

"Feel free," Lupin replied dismissively and turned back to the class, "Now, anyone care to guess what might be in this wardrobe? Olivia?"

I had been trying to inch my way close to the corner where Snape was, but stopped when Lupin said my name.

"Oh, uhm… Well, it could be a number of things, but the most likely would be… a boggart?" I guessed.

"Right on," he said brightly, "Ten points to Slytherin. Now, who can tell me what a boggart is?"

I let one of the Ravenclaws answer and since I already knew that boggarts were shape-shifters who took the form of whatever a person feared most, I proceeded to make my way to Snape's corner.

"What're you _really _doing here?" I whispered, half-smiling.

"I came to see how _Lupin _teaches."

"You can't even say his name without sneering," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Shut up and pay attention," he snapped. I shook my head and turned my attention to Lupin, who was talking about the best way to repel boggarts, which I already knew.

"Now, I'll give you about 5 minutes to decide on what you fear most and a way to make it less scary."

The students began to talk quietly amongst themselves.

"You know the thing you're most afraid of?" Snape asked me as I leaned against the wall beside him.

"Of course. I just have to think of a way to make it less scary."

"What is it you're most afraid of?"

"I'm not telling," I replied lightly.

"I'll see it in five minutes anyway."

"Yes, but you'll probably laugh at me," I replied, "You'll think it's stupid."

At that moment I noticed Lupin watching us rather curiously from the other side of the room. I started towards him and as I walked away, I thought I heard Snape mutter 'I wouldn't laugh'.

"Got an idea yet?" Lupin asked once I crossed the room.

"A vague one," I replied. The best idea I had been able to come up with was to turn a dementor bright pink, which, admittedly, I might've found a little more disturbing than an actual dementor- but it would make people laugh and that repelled a boggart more than anything.

"Would you like to go first?" Lupin asked me.

"Sure," I replied, eager to impress him.

When Lupin called time, everyone formed a line behind me as I turned to face the wardrobe, my wand held firmly in my hand.

"Ready?" Lupin asked me. I nodded my head and he opened the door. From the darkness of the wardrobe emerged a dark dementor with rattling breath. It brought with it such cold and despair that I wasn't entirely sure it _was _a boggart.

"R-Riddikulus," I said, flicking my wand, but I had lost my visualization of the pink dementor somewhere in the cold mist that clouded my mind and my spell did nothing. In fact, my mind became completely shrouded as the dementor approached and the last thing I remembered was the sound of its rattling breath as I lost consciousness…

When I awoke I was laying in a bed that did not belong to me on top of stiff, white cotton sheets. My head was pounding madly and I still felt cold. I let out a soft groan as I awoke, my eyelids fluttering open. My sensitive nerves were attacked with blinding light.

I felt something being pressed against my lips and the smell of chocolate wafted to my nostrils.

I allowed myself to be fed and once I was warm again, I raised my head to see Lupin sitting beside my bed, which I had already expected.

"Nice to have you back with us," he said with a small, relieved smile.

"How long was I out?" I inquired, attempting to sit up. He gently but firmly pushed me back down.

"Three hours. It's best if you remain lying down."

He had a point- upon attempting to sit up I had become extremely dizzy.

"Your skin feels cold," Lupin remarked, his hand on mine, a slight line of worry creasing his forehead.

"Maybe you should give me more chocolate?" I suggested with a small smile. Lupin smiled as well and broke off another piece of chocolate. As he brought it to my lips, I looked past him to see Snape standing in the doorway of the Hospital Wing, looking disgusted. He turned on his heel and walked away.

**Snape's POV**

My blood was boiling as I forced myself to walk way from the Hospital Wing. Olivia had fainted during Lupin's class- _fainted_. I had carried her up to the Hospital Wing because Lupin couldn't leave his class and I had been back to check on her every hour… only this time, _he _had been there. She had been awake and he had been feeding her chocolate and had his hand on hers.

I quickened my pace so that I wouldn't turn around and hex him into oblivion. I hadn't saved her life so she could be molested by a creepy old werewolf. I started to turn around, but stopped. As much as I hated to admit it, Olivia had been smiling- _actually _smiling, not smirking or half-smiling, like I usually saw. This could only mean one thing- she actually _liked _Lupin.

I didn't go down to the Great Hall for supper- I wasn't all that hungry anyway- and I didn't return to the Hospital Wing to attempt to see Olivia for fear that I would see Lupin and be unable to resist the urge to seriously injure him. Instead, I stayed in my office and graded work, trying to keep my mind off of _them_. Finally it was nearing midnight and I still didn't feel tired. I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep until I checked on her. I got up from my desk and left my office, locking the door behind me. I made my way to the hospital wing for what felt like the millionth time today. The whole walk to the Hospital Wing my mind was flooded with images of what I had seen and images of the things I _might _see. I t was almost enough to make me turn around, but I continued on.

When I finally reached the Hospital Wing, I was relieved to find it was empty, other than the patients, all of whom were asleep. The lights were off in Madam Pomfrey's office, so I assumed she was asleep as well. I made my way quietly to Olivia's bedside. She was caught in a troubled sleep, a small frown on her face, her eyes darting behind her eyelids. Cautiously, slowly, I reached out and touched her soft pale cheek. Her skin was flushed and warm to the touch. Her face relaxed under my touch and with a soft sigh she pushed her face into my hand. My breath caught in my throat and I pulled my hand away. I was gone before she could wake up and find me there.

**Olivia's POV**

Madam Pomfrey told me the next day that I need not return to my classes until Monday. Since it was Friday, I didn't push the issue. When I was released from the nurse's care, I went and stayed hidden in my dormitory all day, not wanting to face my classmates. I couldn't believe I had been defeated by a stupid boggart. I had _always _been top of my class.

When I didn't go down to lunch, I was soon visited in my dormitory by Mari.

"There you are. Professor Lupin said you were released this morning," she said, sitting on the edge of my bed. I closed the book I had been reading and sat up.

"Madam Pomfrey told me to rest for today and I could go back to my classes on Monday."

"How do you feel? I heard you fainted- I didn't think they'd have to keep you so long though. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. My pride was mostly what was injured," I said with a shrug and a sigh.

"No one likes dementors," she said.

"But it was a Boggart," I said with a groan, "I must be getting laughed at all over school."

"Not really. The Slytherins don't care and the Gryffindors can't say anything because their precious Potter fainted on the train. The Ravenclaws might be amused, but they'll probably have forgotten by Monday."

"Right," I replied miserably. At that moment the bell rang.

"I've got to go," Mari said, slinging her bag over her shoulder, "Cheer up."

Once she was gone, I settled back into my bed and opened my book again.

On Saturday morning I found myself out on Hogwarts grounds. While I was walking down by the lake, a voice called my name. I turned to see Lupin walking towards me. As he got closer, I could see that he had bags under his eyes and more lines on his face than usual.

"You look tired," I remarked once he had reached me.

"Hm? Oh, it's nothing," he assured me, "I'm just a tad under the weather. I'll be fine in a few days. What're you doing?"

"Being miserable. You?"

"Going for a walk in the forest. Care to join me?"

"Sure."

Together we started towards the forest, walking side-by-side.

"So why are you miserable?" he asked as we entered the forest.

"I was hospitalized because of a boggart," I said with a sigh.

"A boggart that was imitating a dementor, Olivia, there's nothing wrong with that. In fact, it's very wise."

"Wise?" I repeated, "What's so wise about it?"

"It suggests that what you fear most is fear itself."

"Right… but I still can't defend myself against dementors."

"It's very complicated magic, the spell that repels a dementor."

"Do you know how to do it?"

"Well, yes."

"So you could teach me?" I asked, studying him.

Lupin sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"I'm good at complicated," I said quickly, "And I work hard and practice and I've been told I'm very persistent."

"I've no doubt in my mind about that," he said with a smile, "…Perhaps I can teach you… but not today. Perhaps tomorrow, if I'm feeling well enough."

"Might I suggest some Pepperup Potion? Or an Invigoration Draught? I could fetch one or both for you."

"They don't work for this I'm afraid," he said with a small, sad smile.

This seemed strange to me, but I decided not to push it. I looked around me at the forest. I had only ever been in it at nighttime. Now it was daylight and the sun was filtering down through the trees.

"You missed your first Care of Magical Creatures class with Hagrid, you know?" Lupin said.

"Yeah I know," I said mournfully, "I was looking forward to it, too. It's my second favorite class, next to Potions. Professor Kettleburn was a good teacher but he didn't show us anything particularly… _interesting_."

"You mean dangerous?" he said with a brief smile, "Didn't you hear what happened to the Malfoy boy?"

"Draco's an idiot," I said with a sneer, "Hippogriffs aren't dangerous at all if you know how to handle them."

"Do you know how to handle a hippogriff?"

"Well I have read about them. I've always wanted to see one up close. …but thanks to Draco, I will now never get that chance."

I kicked out at a large pinecone, sending it flying several feet into the air.

Lupin was silent a while as we walk, studying me.

"…Follow me," he said finally. He took off through the woods at a quicker pace. Curious, I hastened to follow him.

A few minutes later, we came to a stop just outside of a clearing.

"What-" I began, but Lupin pressed a hand to my mouth.

"Shh," he said quietly, pressing a finger to his lips, "Watch…"

I peered into the clearing. There were several rabbits hoping about the clearing, gnawing on leafy plants. All of a sudden, from the other side of the clearing, a creature burst forth and snapped up four of the rabbits. A creature that was half-eagle, half-lion.

"A hippogriff," I breathed. Cautiously I stepped forward into the clearing. The hippogriff turned his head to look at me, studying me curiously with bright blue eyes. I bowed solemnly, as I had read was required to gain the trust of a hippogriff. The hippogriff studied me a moment longer, then bowed to me. I stood there, uncertain of what to do next.

"Put out your hand," spoke Lupin softly from behind me. I did as he said and the hippogriff stepped closer to me, nudging my hand with his head. I petted the hippogriff's silky smooth feathers for a while, then Lupin stepped into the clearing. The hippogriff studied him a moment. Lupin bowed quickly. Almost immediately, the hippogriff bowed in return.

Lupin stepped forward to pet him.

"Would you like to ride him?" Lupin asked.

Unable to speak, I nodded. Without further ado, Lupin lifted me up and put me on the hippogriff's back, just above the wing joint.

"W-will you…ride with me?" I asked anxiously, looking down at Lupin.

He smiled and nodded. The hippogriff knelt down, allowing Lupin to climb onto his back behind me.

"Careful of his feathers," Lupin said to me as the hippogriff stood once more. As the hippogriff began to run, I gripped his feathers carefully and when he spread his wings, Lupin put his arms around my waist. I barely had time to acknowledge the not-unpleasant warmth that shot through my stomach before the hippogriff launched himself into the air.

"How did you know where the hippogriff would be?" I called to Lupin over my shoulder.

"Call it… intuition," he said, his mouth inches from my air. His warm breath tickled and sent butterflies fluttering through my stomach.

The hippogriff flew us over the Forbidden Forest for a little over an hour. Neither Lupin nor I spoke much but when the hippogriff finally landed, I found that I was leaning against him and he was resting his chin on my shoulder. The hippogriff landed in a clearing closer to the castle than we had originally been. He knelt to let us off. Lupin cleared his throat and removed his arms from around my waist. He climbed off the hippogriff's back, then turned and helped me down. The hippogriff shook himself and allowed us to pet him once more before trotting off into the forest, leaving Lupin and I alone. Lupin glanced at me and smiled before we started to make our way back to the castle.

Once we reached the Entrance Hall, we parted ways.

"Thank you, Lupin," I said softly.

"Not at all, Olivia. It was…fun."

He smiled at me again, then turned and headed upstairs. I was almost to the dungeons when I sensed a presence behind me. I turned to see Snape coming into the Entrance Hall.

"Where have you been?" he asked sourly.

"Flying on a hippogriff. You?"

"Flying?" he repeated, ignoring my question, "With whom?"

"Lupin."

He scowled and opened the door to the dungeons, allowing me to enter first, then following me.

"Hippogriffs are dangerous. One nearly flayed Malfoy," he said.

"Malfoy is an idiot," I retorted.

"That may be, but… aren't you supposed to be resting? You did faint the other day."

"Oh what do you care?" I snapped, feeling suddenly quite annoyed with him, "Where were _you _when I was in the hospital? At least Lupin was there."

His face turned white with fury and he looked as if he would quite like to hit me.

"Whatever," he muttered and took off in the opposite direction.

"Be that way then," I growled and stalked off towards the Slytherin dormitories.

Later that afternoon I was sitting in the Common Room, reading, trying to keep my mind off my irritation with Snape and my confused feelings regarding Lupin. Mari walked up to my suddenly and sat at the foot of the couch where I was laying.

"I saw you walking out of the forest with Professor Lupin earlier," she said with a grin.

"We went for a walk," I said, a faint blush rising to my cheeks.

"A walk, huh? What did you two talk about?" she asked, smirking.

"Dementors and boggarts and stuff like that… he showed me a hippogriff. We went flying."

"Flying? Together?"

"…Yes," I replied, my feelings of earlier coming back to me.

"You like him, don't you?" she said quietly, looking around to make sure no one was listening, "I can tell."

"I dunno," I mumbled, "It's confusing."

"What's confusing about it?"

"Well… he's old, isn't he? I'm not supposed to like him."

"I don't think it's bad. He is kinda cute. Lockhart was cute and Lupin can't be much older than him."

"Ugh- _don't _compare him to Lockhart."

"Okay, well, remember Professor Perdu, from France? He was the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher four years ago. He was cute, didn't you think?"

"I was twelve!" I said, shaking my head incuriously, "I never thought of him like that."

"Well I did. I used to flirt with him… and he flirted back."

"You were thirteen!"

"So?"

"Okay, Mari, I don't think you're helping."

"Sorry. A bit of advice- if you decide you like him, you're gonna have to make the first move. Teachers are weird about it, because of the age difference."

"Wait, did you and Perdu-?"

"Oh look, I have to go- over there- for a while," she said evasively, "Later Livvy."

I shook my head again, watching mystified as she walked away. I then looked back down at my book, but I was unable to concentrate, for my mind kept wandering to Lupin, thinking about what might happen tomorrow, when he taught me to defend myself against dementors.

The next morning after breakfast- which I mostly spent watching Lupin sitting at the staff table, pushing his food around disinterestedly. I met up with him in the Entrance Hall. He looked slightly better than the day before, but still appeared tired.

"You should eat, you know," I said as I followed him upstairs to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, "Your body won't fight of illness without nutrition."

"I haven't much of an appetite. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine," he said with a brief smile.

When we reached the classroom, he opened the door and we went inside. All the desks had been moved to the side to allow room for spell casting.

"Now, what do you know about the Patronus?" he asked me.

"Only that it's a charm used to repel dementors. I've only ever heard it mentioned in books and they were always vague."

"The Patronus, in a sense, is the exact opposite of a dementor. The spell takes the form of an animal, which varies depending on the person. This is what we call the Patronus and it is fueled by happy memories. The stronger the memory, the stronger the Patronus."

"So… all I need is a happy memory and the spell?"

"Essentially, yes. The incantation you require is 'Expecto Patronum'. We'll be trying it without a dementor at first. It shouldn't be too difficult."

I nodded determinedly and pulled out my wand. I racked my brains for a happy memory. The most vivid in my mind was that of us riding the hippogriff yesterday. I decided to try this one, though it brought a faint pink flush to my cheeks.

"_Expecto Patronum_," I said, pointing my wand towards the closed door. Silvery stuff shot out of the end of my wand in a jet and disappeared before it reached the door.

"Well done, Olivia," Lupin said to me.

"But that wasn't an animal."

"It takes time to produce a tangible Patronus. Practice and patience are key."

I practiced the Patronus Charm for almost two hours, experimenting with different happy memories, but still nothing more than vapor emerged from my wand. One of the memories I tried was one from my third year, when I had created my first potion on my own successfully. It was a potion designed to relieve fatigue in animals and I had created it all by myself, with a few suggestions from Snape. After a few failed attempts I had finally succeeded and Snape had complimented me on a job well done.

This time the vapor shot out of the end of my wand seemed to start to form the shape of an animal. It looked somewhat like a dog, with pointed ears. There was a knock on the door and it opened suddenly. The half-formed Patronus rocketed past the figure in the doorway and collided harmlessly with the wall in the corridor, where it disappeared. The figure in the doorway was none other than Snape, who held a goblet of smoking liquid in his hands.

"I have your potion, _Lupin_," Snape said with a sneer.

"Thank you, Severus. If you'll set it on the desk, please?"

Snape walked across the classroom and set it on the desk. I glimpsed into the smoking goblet as he passed, trying to identify the potion within. It was one I had never seen before and I hadn't the faintest clue what it was.

"You brewed a potion without me?" I asked. Snape raised an eyebrow at me.

"I assumed you would not wish to assist me," he replied coolly.

"Why? Because you pissed me off? Doesn't mean I don't want to learn potions."

Snape looked at Lupin.

"What is she doing here anyway?"

"I'm teaching her the Patronus Charm. You can't deny that she needs it," Lupin replied.

"Has she managed?"

"Not quite yet."

"Let's see it then," Snape said, looking back at me. I glanced at Lupin, who nodded. I pointed my wand at the wall and concentrated on the same memory again.

"_Expecto Patronum_," I said, feeling rather nervous. The half-formed Patronus shot out of my wand again. This time it shot around the room a moment before disappearing into the wall.

"Not bad… but it would hardly protect you from a dementor," Snape remarked.

"She's only just started Severus," Lupin said defensively, "Be fair."

"Right. You should drink that directly, Lupin," Snape said and then he turned and left the room. Lupin made his way to the desk and picked up the goblet.

"What is that?" I inquired.

"Something to help my illness. It's a very complex potion and I've never been one for potion-brewing myself. Snape was kind enough to brew it for me," he responded, taking a sip and making a face, "I can never get over the taste."

"It's probably poisoned," I said darkly, "I wouldn't put it past him."

"Olivia," he said disapprovingly, "I don't believe Severus would deliberately poison me. Besides, I thought you liked him?"

"I do. He just…irritates me, sometimes. He's quite stubborn, especially when it comes to holding a grudge."

"That he is," Lupin said with a sad smile, "…Would you like to give the Patronus-thing a rest for today and have tea with me in my office? I'm going to need it after this- it's quite bitter."

I nodded my head and Lupin drained the rest of his potion. He left the empty goblet, which was still smoking, on his desk, and we went to his office for tea.

Lupin and I worked on the Patronus Charm together almost every weekend. I worked with Snape on various potions on occasion, though he still refused to tell me what the smoking potion had been. He still disapproved of my friendship with Lupin so we weren't exactly nice to each other.

It wasn't until late October that my practicing with Lupin finally paid off and my Patronus took the form of a wolf.

"Awesome!" I exclaimed, watching as the silvery wolf ran around the room soundlessly, taking leaps no real wolf could ever make. Lupin glanced from the Patronus to me in a curious sort of way, but said nothing until it had disappeared.

"Well done," he remarked after it had disappeared, "Next time I'll bring a boggart- Filch was lucky enough to find another for me, down in the dungeons. Once you can successfully fend one off, our lessons will be at an end."

"Aww…" I said disappointedly, "Can't you teach me something else? Like how to be an Animagus?"

"I don't know how to do it, myself," he said with a warm chuckle, "Couldn't you ask McGonagall? She's an Animagus."

"McGonagall hates me," I replied, rolling my eyes, "She always has."

"Why's that?"

"We got off to a bad start, I suppose. I think it's because I ask too many questions."

**Snape's POV**

The Friday before Halloween was the day before the full moon and I had to take Lupin a goblet full of Wolfsbane Potion for the sixth day in a row, as I did every month. Lupin wasn't in his office when I took the potion to him that afternoon and, as much as I hated having to hunt him down, I couldn't just leave the goblet on his desk. It wouldn't last for long by itself.

I made my way to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. I was going to be highly annoyed if he wasn't there. I stopped at the door to the classroom and listened.

"Ready?" said Lupin's voice.

"Let's do it," responded Olivia's voice.

Frowning, I opened the door, just in time to see a dementor coming out of a chest. Olivia had her wand out and was pointing it towards the dementor, but she turned at the last minute and looked at me.

"Oliv-" Lupin began as the dementor swooped towards her. Her face went slack suddenly and she crumpled to the floor. Shocked, I dropped the smoking goblet of Wolfsbane Potion onto the floor. Lupin stepped in front of the dementor, which immediately turned into a full moon. It wasn't a dementor at all- it was a boggart.

"_Riddikulus_!" Lupin cried and the moon turned into a balloon and flew back into the trunk. Lupin closed and locked the lid.

"Way to go, Severus," Lupin said, sounding highly annoyed. He grabbed a slab of chocolate from his desk and sank to his knees beside Olivia. He turned her over so she was laying on her back. He straightened her skirt and smoothed her hair back from her face. I felt the strong urge to kick him, but resisted. He broke off a piece of chocolate and held it to her lips. Her eyelids fluttered open. Her green eyes remained unfocused a moment, then cleared as she ate the chocolate. Slowly, she sat up and took the chocolate from Lupin.

"Son of a bitch," she said, putting a hand to her head.

"Olivia," Lupin said warningly, an amused smile on his face.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Snape happened," he replied.

She looked around at me.

"Oh. You distracted me and screwed up my Patronus," she said, mildly annoyed.

"Sorry," I said in a voice tinged with sarcasm, then looked at Lupin, "_You _should've locked the door, so accidents like this wouldn't happen."

"Oh come on!" Olivia said, startling me, "You were in the wrong and you know it."

"_And _you dropped the potion," Lupin pointed out. I glanced down at the floor where the spilled smoking potion was eating a hole in the floor.

"Oh shut up," I growled at Lupin. With a wave of my wand, I vanished the potion and fixed the floor.

"You can cast a corporeal Patronus now?" I asked Olivia.

"Possibly," she replied.

"Can I stay and watch?"

"Depends," she replied, "You gonna mess anything else up?"

I scowled at her.

"Yes, alright then, stay and watch," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Hmph," I said and sat in one of the chairs that had been pushed against the wall.

"Are you sure you're ready to try again?" Lupin asked her.

"Of course," she replied, "It was only a boggart, after all."

"Right. Ready?" he asked, hand on the lid of the trunk. Olivia pointed her wand at the trunk, her face screwed up in concentration, a faint pink tinge to her pale cheeks.

"Ready," she said.

Lupin threw open the lid of the trunk and the ghoulish dementor-boggart emerged once more, its face turned towards Olivia.

"_Expecto Patronum!_" she said determinedly. Silvery light shot from the end of her wand and took the form of a sleek-looking she-wolf. The Patronus charged the dementor-boggart, forcing it back into the trunk. Lupin slammed the lid of the trunk shut. Olivia watched her Patronus admiringly as it pranced around the room a moment, then disappeared.

"Well done, Olivia!" Lupin said, smiling. She grinned proudly, her green eyes sparkling, and she ran to Lupin and hugged him. He looked surprised, but put his arms around her. My heart felt like someone had stabbed it. The hurt feeling quickly turned to hatred towards Lupin.

"I may vomit," I said coldly. Lupin released her and Olivia stepped away, blushing faintly.

"Oh shut it," she snapped at me. She glanced back at Lupin and smiled again.

"You should take your potion, Lupin," I said, "Why don't you come with me back to the dungeons?"

"You're right, Severus," Lupin said with a nod.

"Can I come?" Olivia asked.

"No," Lupin and I said together, much to my disgust. Olivia scowled at us, but left without complaint.

Lupin followed me down the Grand Staircase. I didn't speak until we reached the dungeons.

"Does she know?" I asked without looking back at him, "About what you are?"

"Of course not," he replied sharply, with something akin to hurt in his voice.

"Then how do you explain her Patronus taking that form?"

"…It must be a coincidence," he said quietly.

"Right," I muttered.

**Olivia's POV**

The next day was Halloween, my favorite holiday, as well as the day of the first trip to Hogsmeade of the year. I spent the day with Mari, browsing the shops and later drinking Butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks. Quietly, I told her about my finally being able to produce a Patronus… and about the hug that still made my heart beat wildly in my chest when I thought about it.

"You hugged," she repeated, seemingly amused, "That's all?"

"Yes that's all."

"You didn't kiss?"

"No we didn't kiss!"

"Was it like a sexual hug?"

"Hugging can be sexual?"

"Of course. Especially hugging from behind."

"It wasn't _that _kind of hug! Snape was there."

"Oh. That's explains it."

"It was very weird. It's the first time we've ever touched like that."

"Well you touched like that when you were flying on the hippogriff, didn't you? Hey- that was sort of a hug from behind. Did he have a stiffie? Could you feel it?"

"Oh Jesus, Mari! Drink your Butterbeer," I said to her, shaking my head. I was blushing slightly. Mari laughed and sipped her drink.

"Seriously though, if you like him, you should make a move. The thing Perdu and I had was good while it lasted. It was a good way to learn, you know?"

"…I've been thinking of it. …Maybe, if there's a moment."

"Would you have done it today, if Snape hadn't been there?"

"I don't know. I might have chickened out. I almost didn't hug him. My heart felt like it was going to explode when I did…especially when he put his arms around me."

"Aw that's cute," she said, smiling and sipping her drink.

"Oh shut it," I said, shoving her playfully.

That evening after we returned from Hogsmeade, Mari and I were making our way down to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast. When we reached the Entrance Hall, I noticed Lupin making his way down the stairs. I slowed my pace to wait for him.

"Later Livvy," Mari said, winking at me. She skipped ahead and went into the Great Hall.

"Good evening Olivia. Did you have a good day in Hogsmeade?" Lupin inquired as he caught up with me, "I thought about going for a drink at the Three Broomsticks, but somehow I didn't feel up to it."

"It was alright I suppose. You should have come. What did you do today?"

"I had tea with Harry Potter."

"That sounds gay."

Lupin let out a snort of laughter and looked at me, shaking his head.

"I was friends with his father."

"Oh. Not entirely gay then, I suppose."

"You just don't like him because Severus doesn't like him."

"Not true- I find him to be incredibly dimwitted and slow. Last year he and his Weasley friend flew a flying car to school because they missed the train."

"What would you have done?" Lupin asked curiously.

"I would have Floo'd there. Or- Potter has an owl. If I had an owl I would have sent a letter to someone at the school- probably Snape."

"That's probably what I would've done as well. Harry is more like his father. James would have taken the car for the fun of it."

As we entered the Great Hall, Lupin looked around, smiling, at the hundreds of live bats fluttering around the ceilings and the enormous Jack O' Lanterns.

"It's been a long time since I spend a Halloween at Hogwarts," he remarked.

"How old _are _you?" I blurted without really thinking about it. He raised an eyebrow at me.

"It's been seventeen years since I last spend a Halloween at Hogwarts," he replied.

"That makes you…only 34? I would have guessed older than that. That's not so bad."

"Gee thanks," he said sarcastically, amused.

"Sorry," I said with a laugh.

"I understand. Go on now, you have to sit with your classmates."

"Okay. Happy Halloween, Lupin."

I went and sat with Mari, who grinned at me but said nothing.

Soon there was food on the tables and everyone was digging in. I ate until I could eat no more, then contented myself to watch Lupin out of the corner of my eye, who was talking animatedly to Professor Flitwick.

After the feast was over, I went with the other Slytherins down to the Common Room. I was just about to go into the dormitory to go to bed, when the door to the Common Room opened.

"Everyone to the Great Hall, now," said Snape's voice urgently. Confused, everyone slowly started to make their way to the door. I hurried to catch up with Snape.

"What's going on?" I asked him.

"There's an intruder in the castle. All students are going to the Great Hall," he replied brashly.

"Is it Black?" I inquired.

He didn't respond.

"Hurry up," he barked to a few third years who were lagging behind. They jumped and hurried to catch up with the others. Without looking back at me, Snape hurried to the front of the line of Slytherins. Annoyed with him, I did not follow. When we entered the Entrance Hall, I noticed Lupin exiting the front door, his wand aloft. I looked around quickly to make sure no one was looking at me, then I applied my Disillusionment Charm and slipped out after Lupin.

The night sky was clouded so that I could barely see the stars. The full moon cast a dim light form behind the clouds. I could see Lupin walking around the grounds, wand in hand, no doubt searching for the intruder. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something move towards the edge of the forest. I turned to look, raising my wand. I lowered my wand when I saw it was nothing but a stray, black dog running into the forest.

A hand closed on my shoulder suddenly and I whirled around, firing a Stunning Spell as I did so. My attacker went flying backwards and lay sprawled on the ground. It was then that I saw it was only Lupin. I stayed frozen to the spot, still invisible.

"Olivia, I know it's you. I can sense you," Lupin said with a groan, getting to his feet. He pointed his wand at me and removed my Disillusionment Charm.

"Sorry for Stunning you," I said sheepishly, "I thought-"

"You shouldn't be out here!" he whispered hoarsely, "It's too dangerous."

"Is it Black you're looking for? I want to help-"

"No!" he said, looking gaunter than ever, but he was not looking at me. His face was turned up to the sky. I looked up as well. The clouds had moved from in front of the moon. I glanced back at Lupin who had gone rigid. I saw his eyes change from blue to green. His pupils turned to slits and I realized what was happening.

"Jesus," I whispered, taking a step back as fur erupted all over his body and his bone structure began to contort.

He sank to all fours and curled into a ball, his eyes shut, as if he were pretending he wasn't there. It occurred to me that the potion Snape had been giving him had obviously been the Wolfsbane Potion. So he still retained his human mind. He wasn't dangerous.

I took a step forward and reached my hand out to touch him. The fur on his back was short and thick, but very soft. As soon as my hand touched him, he whined, a low, sad sound, and ran off towards the forest.

**Author's Note: Oh cruel cliffhanger! Muwhahaha! Don't worry, once I get some lovely reviews I will post the next chapter. Thanks everyone! J**

**~TheVampyre13**

**PS: I'm thinking about changing my username on here. Is that even possible? If it is, be on the lookout for LittleReporterGirl instead of TheVampyre13. **


	11. Year 5 Chapter 4

I immediately took off after him, my heart going out to him. I didn't so much as slow down when we entered the forest. I followed the sound of his running, unable to see him in the dark of the forest. When his running slowed, I stopped. We had come to a clearing. I watched as he lay down in the center of the clearing, his head on his paws, unaware of my presence just outside of the clearing. He whined miserably.

"Lupin," I said softly and his ears pricked up, "Please don't run. I want to talk to you."

He looked hesitant and stood, but didn't run when I stepped into the clearing.

"I suppose you can't talk, can you? But… you've taken the Wolfsbane Potion, right?"

He nodded his head, not looking at me.

"Then, you aren't dangerous, are you?"

He hesitated, still not looking at me, and shook his head no.

"You still have your mind. You're still yourself. Unless…you don't have the _urge _to eat me, do you? Like, instinct?"

He shook his head frantically, looking at me finally. There was such sadness and pure misery in his eyes that my heart hurt.

He scratched in the dirt a moment, almost as if he were trying to write words, but they were illegible. He gave up and flopped down on the ground.

"Let me stay here with you until it passes," I said, sinking to the ground beside him. He whined quietly, but didn't shake his head no. Cautiously I reached out and touched his furry cheek. His eyes flicked to me and he moved closer to me, his head resting against my leg.

We sat there in silence for a long time. I listened to the sounds of the night around us- the crickets chirping and owl hooting. I heard the far-off howl of a wolf, but was not afraid. No animal would be stupid enough to attack a werewolf. As long as I was with Lupin, I was safe.

It was nearing 4:00 in the morning when Lupin finally turned back to human. It looked painful and I refused to leave his side during it. When he was human he fell to the ground, exhausted. I touched his shoulder gently.

"…Thank you," he said quietly, "For staying with me. …You weren't scared?"

"Not at all. I know about the Wolfsbane Potion, how it works and all."

I extended my hand to help him to his feet and he accepted gratefully. He took a step forward and nearly fell again. I was at his side in an instant.

"Lean on me," I said to him. He nodded and obeyed.

Walking together we made our way back to the castle. When we drew near, Lupin stopped and Disillusioned me.

"I wonder what we've missed," he said as we entered the castle, "Follow me and be silent."

Quietly, I followed Lupin up the Grand Staircase. We passed his office. I wondered where we were going, but didn't want to disobey his order to be silent, even though there wasn't anyone around.

"To Dumbledore's office," Lupin said quietly, answering my unspoken question, "To find out if they caught Black or not."

When we reached Dumbledore's office, I paused.

"I'll stay out here," I whispered as quietly as possible. He nodded briefly and gave the password- which was gummy worms- to the stone griffin, then went up the stairs, leaving me alone and invisible in the corridor.

I sat down and leaned my back against the wall, thinking about the secret I had just discovered. Lupin was a werewolf. Strange how it didn't make me want him any less…if anything, it made me love him even more. It especially made me want to learn to brew the Wolfsbane Potion. Good thing I was already the Potion Master's apprentice. Perhaps it was time I restored my friendship with my unceasingly grumpy cousin. About two months ago I had stopped making an effort against his grouchiness and had started being grouchy back.

The Wolfsbane Potion was supposedly a very tricky potion. Few had the nerve to brew it. I knew there was no way I could do it without Snape.

Lupin emerged from Dumbledore's office a short while later. He gestured for silence and for me to follow him as he headed towards the stairs. He didn't speak until we had reached his office and he had shut the door behind us.

"Did they catch Black?" I asked immediately.

"No. There was no sign of him. Apparently he tried to break into the Gryffindor dormitories, then vanished without a trace."

"What does he want from Gryffindor?" I asked.

Lupin sighed and looked away.

"…Snape told me you were friends with Black when you were in school. Is that why you don't want to talk about him?"

He sat down at his desk, his head in his hands.

"It's not something I'm proud of, understand? …If I tell you something, can I trust you not to tell anyone?"

"Of course. You can trust me with your werewolf secret, too. I haven't anyone to tell."

"I have a feeling you can be trusted. …There were four of us, back in the day- Sirius Black, James Potter, myself, and a boy named Peter Pettigrew. We were the best of friends- we called ourselves the Marauders. They all knew my secret- they all ended up becoming illegal, unregistered animagus and snuck out of the castle every full moon. We were in and out of trouble all the time. We had each other's backs, all the time. …Sirius was always the lazy, carefree one. Very devil-may-care, but he was a good mate."

He looked down and inhaled deeply.

"When did he go mad?" I asked.

"Who knows? It was dark times when we left Hogwarts. Voldemort-" I couldn't help but twitch involuntarily, unused to hearing the Dark Lord's name. "-was at full power. Terror filled the Wizarding World. We all had our place in the resistance force, the Order of the Phoenix. James Potter and his wife Lily confronted Voldemort face to face and escaped with their lives several times and they were high on his Wanted list. Death Eaters were after them at every turn. They went into hiding. Few knew where they were. Of course the Marauders knew…James trusted us, _all _of us, especially Black. They were best mates. The night Voldemort killed the Potters…they say it was Black who sold them out. Pettigrew confronted him…and Black blew him and a dozen witnesses to smithereens," he said bitterly.

"Oh Lupin…" I said softly.

He shook his head sadly.

"I shouldn't be burdening you with this. …Dumbledore said the students are staying in the Great Hall. It'll be too risky for you to go down there, he said there are teachers keeping guard all night in case Black tries again. The dormitories will be empty-"

"But security has probably been increased there, too. Wouldn't it be safer if I stayed up here? There's only a few hours until morning anyway," I said innocently.

"Olivia…" he said, strained.

"I could sleep on a cot in your office," I said imploringly.

He was silent a moment, his blue eyes on me.

"…Alright. It's the safest thing after all. But I insist I take the cot. You can have the bed."

"Feeling chivalrous?"

"It's safer there. Less likely someone would walk in on you."

"Just lock the door."

"A skilled wizard could still come in. Dumbledore, for instance. Or Snape."

"Where is your room anyway?"

Lupin stood and went to the back wall. He tapped a certain brick with his wand and a slab of wall moved aside. Curious, I pushed past him and went into his room.

"Jesus," I heard him say quietly to himself, then heard him lock the door to his office with a spell. I smiled to myself as I entered his private chambers, my heart pounding nervously.

It was a simple room. A comfortable-looking bed was pushed against one wall. There was an oak shift robe and a mirror against another wall. There was a fireplace where a small fire crackled merrily, casting flickering shadows all along the room. There was one window, through which there was an enchanting view of the lake.

"You really should have your bed, Lupin- you're tired and you've been through a lot."

"The same thing I've gone through once a month for almost 30 years. It's nothing new and I've slept in worse places than a cot."

"But it's exhausting nonetheless. Take the bed. I'll take the cot."

"What if someone walks in?"

"Then let me have the cot here, on the other side of your bed, instead of in your office."

"…Oh alright. This is already a bad idea, might as well max it out."

"I think maxing it out would be letting me sleep with you in the bed," I said, unable to help myself, grinning.

He glanced at me quickly.

"Don't even think about it," he said sharply.

"Okay, okay. I was just kidding," I said lightly.

Less than fifteen minutes later, I found myself laying on a cot bed near Lupin's bed with one of his pillows and a blanket, both of which smelled intoxicatingly of him. The fire was dying out, making it difficult to see in the room, but I could still hear the sound of Lupin's steady breathing, which made me feel even sleepier than I already was. I was tired from the night's event, but still one thing nagged at the back of my mind.

"Lupin, can I ask you a question?" I said softly.

"As long as you consider whatever you ask me very carefully first," he said, his muffled by a pillow. I was silent a moment, considering this, then continued with the question I had wanted to ask him.

"You mentioned Harry Potter's mom earlier, right? What was her name?"

"Oh. Uh, Lily."

"Was she a pretty redhead girl?"

"Yes."

"Oh."

I said nothing else, but turned over in my bed, thinking of the eerie ghostly visit she had paid me over the Summer. There was no doubt in my mind it was the same girl.

"Why did you ask?" Lupin inquired and when I didn't respond, "Come on, you can't leave me hanging."

I knew he wouldn't believe me if I told him about the apparition.

"…Snape has a picture of her," I said finally. Lupin lifted his head and looked at me.

"_Really_?" he asked interestedly.

"Yes," I said warily, "You won't tell anyone, will you? Especially Snape…"

"Of course not. Wh- Does he keep it in his room?"

"No," I said, though I think he actually did, "It was a picture I found in the attic."

"Ah. …I knew they lived near each other when they were kids. I heard a rumor that they dated in fourth-year, but I think someone made that up to piss James off. James and Severus hated each other. If Severus really _did _date Lily, it'd be the only girlfriend he ever had. He wasn't very popular… I'm not sure she would have dated him."

I was silent, thinking. I wanted Snape to have dated her. It would've made him happy and he didn't look like the sort who had been happy a lot in his life. I buried my face in the pillow, deeply inhaling Lupin's scent, wondering why I cared so much anyway.

**Snape's POV**

I had spent most of the night searching the castle for Black, but was unsuccessful. I slept late the next morning since it was Sunday and didn't emerge until almost lunchtime. I was about to go down to the Great Hall to eat, but when I opened the door, I was surprised to find Olivia waiting for me.

"I need to talk to you,:" she said and pointed back into my office, "In there."

She pushed past me and went into my office. I had no choice but to follow her. She sat in the chair in front of my desk, then turned and pointed her wand at the door, causing it to shut.

"Now, you can teach me to brew the Wolfsbane Potion," she said calmly.

"What? When-?"

"Last night, I snuck out. I saw him transform."

"And…you weren't frightened?"

"Of course not. I trust your abilities as a potion-maker. I knew he wasn't dangerous, that's why I followed him into the Forbidden Forest when he ran away."

"You followed a werewolf into the Forbidden Forest?" I asked in disbelief.

She shrugged.

"You're crazy. Absolutely insane," I muttered, shaking my head.

"Maybe. So, you gonna teach me how to brew the Wolfsbane Potion?"

"It's a very delicate, complex potion, which-"

"I know all of this. I've been in the library all morning reading about it. I'd try and brew it myself, but I don't have the ingredients-"

"If that's the attitude you're going to take, perhaps I don't feel like teaching you," I said, surly. I turned to the door to leave.

"No, wait!" she said, standing up, "…I _want _you to teach me. I need your knowledge of the potion to make sure I'm doing it correctly. It's a disastrous thing to get wrong."

I sighed, irritated.

"Very well. It takes a month to brew so we must start today. I planned to begin Lupin's potion today anyway."

"Alright then, let's do it," she said enthusiastically.

"I _was _on my way to lunch when you ambushed me. I slept through breakfast."

"Right. After lunch, then," she said brightly, "Thank you, Snape."

I made my way down to the Great Hall and sat at the staff table, feeling exceptionally moody. Lupin's condition didn't affect Olivia's opinion of him whatsoever. If anything she seemed even more fond of him. She sympathized with him, pitied him…as Lily had. Now I had to teach her the brew the Wolfsbane Potion because, despite everything, I couldn't just say no to her.

I ate lunch alone, my eye on Olivia, who sat beside her friend Mari Pirelli. After about ten minutes of her wolfing down food while listening to her friend talk, Olivia stood and hurried from the Great Hall. I figured she was eager to start the potion and would be waiting for me downstairs. I didn't rush my eating, but took my time. When I finally returned to my office, I was surprised to find she wasn't there. I checked the Potions classroom- not there either. Annoyed, I began to gather the ingredients for the potion on my own when she burst in.

"Where were you?" I asked irritably, "I was about to start without you."

"Talking to Lupin. I was curious as to why he didn't come down to lunch…and I wanted to tell him I was learning to brew Wolfsbane."

"What was his reason for not coming to lunch?"

"He felt ill. He's ill a lot. He gets nauseous, weak. Is that normal?" she asked, concern showing in her emerald eyes.

"Yes," I said bitterly, "It's a side-effect of the Wolfsbane."

"Perhaps there is a way to alter it so there is no side effect," she said thoughtfully.

"Let's just see if you can brew it before you start trying to change it. Go gather the ingredients from the store cupboard."

She did as I said as I laid out the required tools and prepared the cauldron for the first step.

For two hours we worked on the potion diligently, like a well-oiled machine. I would give orders and she carried them through without complaint. I would prepare one step of he potion while she worked on the next one.

I found that I actually enjoyed worked with her. At the end of the two hours, we had a light blue potion simmering away in the cauldron.

"It has to stew for a week and Fluxweed must be added every evening at exactly eight o'clock," I said to Olivia, "By the end of the week, it should turn purple."

"And I shall be back here every night at eight to add the Fluxweed," she said determinedly.

"Suit yourself," I said with a shrug.

She left shortly after that. I strongly suspected she was off to see Lupin again. I sighed irritably and was struck by the sudden need to see Albus. I checked the Wolfsbane Potion once more before leaving my office.

I found Albus sitting in his office with Fawkes the phoenix sitting on his shoulder. Dumbledore fed Fawkes a cracker, then looked at me.

"Good evening, Severus."

"Albus," I said with a nod, sitting in the chair before his desk.

"What's troubling you? You seem even more surly than usual."

"…Olivia discovered Lupin's secret."

"Yes, Remus told me. This is good news, is it not? She can help you brew the Wolfsbane Potion."

"Well yes, but…" I trailed off, unable to bring myself to say it.

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow at me, waiting for me to continue.

"I'm afraid…that the girl may be falling in love with him," I said quickly, through gritted teeth.

"Severus," Albus said exasperatedly, "…What proof do you have? What fuels your suspicion?"

"Well, I… They spend an awful lot of time together and… well, the way she talks about him."

"Severus, even if Olivia does have feelings for him, she's just a teenage girl. It's puppy love- it'll pass. Besides, I trust Remus to do the right thing."

"You may trust him, but I don't. I'm going to keep an eye on the both of them."

I stood to leave.

"Very well, Severus. I'll keep an eye on them as well. And I'll have a conversation with Remus about propriety, though I don't _really _think it's necessary."

"Good…and whatever you do, don't say my name. The last thing I want is Olivia mad at me."

"Don't worry, Severus. As usual, your concerns for the girl will remain unknown."

"As it should be."

**Olivia's POV**

November came and went bringing with it a cold wind and frost. Despite the cold, I still went to stay with Lupin during the full moon. My first attempt at brewing the Wolfsbane Potion was a success. When Snape and I began the potion for the month of December, we made three batches- two for me to experiment with and one for use as a control.

With Christmas fast approaching, I received a letter from Ellen asking if I was coming home for the holidays. I thought about it, but Christmas Eve was a full moon night and I didn't want Lupin to have to spend it alone. So I sent Ellen a reply letter, telling her I wanted to stay, that I had tons of homework to do and my friends were staying. I didn't really want to spend Christmas with her and her Muggle boyfriend anyway.

The six days leading up to Christmas Eve I spend working on the Wolfsbane Potion with Snape. The potion required a lot of attention the last few days and I was glad it was the holidays so I didn't have classes to worry about. I spent my mornings working on the potion and by the afternoon I would take a goblet full to Lupin and I would spend the rest of the day with him, talking or going for a walk around the grounds.

On Christmas Eve day I took the final goblet of potion to Lupin's office. He drank it with a grimace.

"I thought you were working on changing the potion? How's that going?" Lupin asked, setting aside the empty, still-smoking goblet.

"Not well. I had two different potions I was working on but both were complete failures- one completely melted the cauldron, the other caught fire."

"I'm sorry Olivia. I know you wanted it to work."

"No, _I'm _sorry. I'm doing this for you after all."

"I'm just glad to have the potion. It wasn't around when I was a kid, you know?"

"What did you do back then? During the full moon, I mean."

"I stayed locked up… Would you like to see where?"

I nodded wordlessly. Lupin stood and opened the door, holding it for me. I retrieved his cloak and draped it over his shoulders, then handed him his cane.

"Thank you," he said quietly.

Lupin and I walked together outside. The grounds were deserted. Most students had gone home for the holidays. Parents were still worried about their kids since Black had escaped.

"I'm surprised your mother didn't make you go home for Christmas," Lupin said as we walked over the snow-covered grounds.

"Ellen is not my mother," I said, though I knew I had told him before, "I'm adopted."

"She's still your mother. She raised you."

"Yeah, well, that may be true...but I still don't want to have Christmas with her and her Muggle boyfriend. …What about you? Don't you have any family to have Christmas with?"

He looked away from me, his grip on his cane so tight his knuckles were white.

"My family shunned me… I have no one," he said softly. I put my hand on his arm gently.

"You have me," I said quietly.

He glanced at me and smiled weakly.

"Come. You know the Whomping Willow, right?" he asked as we started walking again.

"Not personally," I said lightly.

"The Whomping Willow was planted when I started school…_because _I started school," he said as we approached the violent tree, "Wait here."

I stopped a few feet away from the trees reach. Lupin glanced around, then pointed his wand at a certain branch. He hit a knot on the tree with a spell and the tree froze. Lupin motioned for me to follow him to the base of the tree, where I saw a tunnel among the roots.

"Ladies first," Lupin said. I pulled out my wand and lit the tip before crawling into the tunnel.

"All the way at the end you'll come to a hole," Lupin said from behind me.

I had no idea how long I'd been crawling through the tunnel, half-crouched, when the tunnel sloped upwards suddenly. I stumbled and almost fell but Lupin's arm reached out from behind me and steadied me.

"Thanks," I breathed.

"We're almost there- look, I can see the opening ahead."

Sure enough, I could see a faint light ahead. I quickened my pace until I climbed out into a room. It was an old room with faded, peeling wallpaper. There were stains everywhere and broken bits of furniture. There were big, deep gashes on the wall. I touched one of the scratches and looked at Lupin, who was looking mournfully around the room.

"They locked you in here?" I asked quietly.

"Dumbledore did," he said, nodding, "…It was better than me doing _that _to my classmates."

Lupin was looking down at a table which was missing three legs and broken in half.

He turned his head away. With a pounding heart I stepped forward and took his hand, linking my fingers with his and leaning my head against his arm. He sighed heavily and put his arm around me, resting his chin on top of my head. I could feel his heart beating even faster than my own.

I heard a distant creak and stiffened.

"Don't worry- we're in the Shrieking Shack. Dumbledore bewitched it so that everything creaks and moans, then let word spread around it was haunted so that no one would discover my secret," he said without moving.

"Oh," I said, relaxing slightly.

A moment later I heard footsteps. This time Lupin lifted his head.

"Someone's coming," he said quietly, "We have to go."

I pulled away reluctantly. Lupin pressed a finger to his lips and motioned for me to follow him. We went through a door and down a hallway. Around us the walls let out ghoulish noises. Rats scurried along the passage. Spiders and roaches adorned the walls.

When we finally emerged, we came out of an old building that looked as if it would fall apart at any moment. We made our way across the snow-covered grounds and ducked under the wire fence that surrounded the Shrieking Shack.

"We're in Hogsmeade now, right?" I asked, looking around.

"Yes- oh crap."

"What?"

"I can't be seen with a student in Hogsmeade. I'll be fired."

"No problem," I said, applying my Disillusionment Charm.

"We should stay off the main road. A skilled wizard could still sense your presence."

"Like you?"

"Well yes, but I was thinking more like Dumbledore on his way to the Three Broomsticks," he said with a faint smile.

We made our way back towards the main part of Hogsmeade, but stayed away from the shops and the road. We were the only ones on e the road to Hogwarts. As we got closer to the gate, I could see dementors flanking the gate. Lupin pulled out his wand and I did the same.

"Let's cast our Patronuses now," he said quietly and I nodded. I racked my brain for a happy memory, then pointed me wand at the gate.

"_Expecto Patronum_!" Lupin and I said, almost simultaneously. My sleek silver she-wolf rocketed from the tip of my wand. Curious, I looked at Lupin's Patronus. It was larger than mine and more shaggy, but it was still a wolf. Together the Patronuses leapt at the dementors, snapping and snarling, until Lupin and I were safely through the gate.

As we got closer to the castle, I removed my Disillusionment Charm.

"How come I've never seen your Patronus before?" I asked curiously, looking back over my shoulder as the wolf Patronuses disappeared. He was silent a moment.

"Happy memories are hard to come by," he said finally.

When we reached the castle, Lupin and I parted ways.

"Meet me after supper so I don't have to sneak out of the castle?" I said as he headed for his office.

"If you insist on endangering yourself for my sake-"

"You know I do," I said with a smile.

"Then I will meet you here in the Entrance Hall after dinner."

_**Author's Note: **__Well, I'm sure you're all wondering who was in the Shrieking Shack. Find out in the next chapter! It won't be long, I promise. Oh and Happy Thanksgiving to all! Read and Review please! __J_

_~LittleReporterGirl_


	12. Year 5 Chapter 5

**Author's Note: **THanks for all the lovely comments, all of you! J Yes, I know it's been a bit Liv/Lupin-y, but it shall progress well, I promise. Just stick with it, all you Severus fans. Anyways, without further ado, here is the next installment of Rescue Me…and don't forget to keep reviewing! J

**Snape's POV**

An hour later I was still in the Shrieking Shack, looking for any trance of Black. I had just decided to go for a walk around the ground when I saw the tail of Lupin's cloak disappearing beneath the Whomping Willow, which was being completely still for once. I started after him immediately, convinced that I was finally about to find proof that Lupin was helping Black sneak into the castle.

I had followed Lupin through the tunnel, but he disappeared before I caught him. Annoyed, I had spent the next hour scouring the Shrieking Shack for some sort of clue. In the end I found nothing, but remembered a spell I had once seen the Dark Lord use- a spell that pulled traces of magic from the room and recreated whatever had happened.

I cast the spell, hoping I remembered it right, and waited. A minute later, two ghost-like figures appeared and I saw Lupin and not Black, but Olivia. The scene played backwards- they came back through a door, to the middle of the room, where they stood entwined for several minutes, Lupin pressing a kiss into her hair.

My stomach lurched and I turned my back to the figures. My immediate thought was to go to Dumbledore and show him what I had found. I glanced back at their entwined figures. Olivia was smiling, her eyes closed, her arm around _him_… but she looked happy. I closed my eyes and turned away again. I wouldn't tell Dumbledore, not if it would make her unhappy…and mad at me. If being with Lupin made her happy…then so be it.

"_Finite…Incantatem_," I said softly, cancelling the effects of the spell.

**Olivia's POV**

The Great Hall was nearly empty that night at dinner. Only a handful of students remained. Only one other Slytherin had stayed at Hogwarts for the holidays, a surly-looking girl who was in my year. Her name was Alexandria Daae and she kept to herself, as I did.

Lupin was finished eating first. He winked at me as he walked past on his way out of the hall. I quickly devoured what was left on my plate, then hurried out of the hall so fast I almost ran into Lupin, who was waiting just outside the door.

"There's no rush, Olivia," he said amused, "We have all night… you might want to get another sweater, a scarf, a hat, maybe. It's going to be quite cold and we'll be out very late."

"What're you, my mother?" I said, but headed towards the dungeon all the same. Lupin followed me.

"I've never actually seen the Slytherin Common Room before," he said as we went down the stairs, "I'm a bit curious. When we were kids, the first-years always tried to find the location to the other Houses' Common Rooms."

"Did you ever find any?"

"Not me personally, but James and Sirius found Ravenclaw Tower…" he trailed off, a slight frown on his face, no doubt thinking about Sirius Black.

We passed the empty Potions classroom and I couldn't help but glance inside.

"Good thing Snape's still in the Great Hall," I remarked.

"He'd probably shit kittens if he found me down here."

I let out a snort of laughter and Lupin smiled.

We reached the slab of wall that hid the Slytherin Common Room.

"Black Adder," I said and the slab of stone slid aside.

"Brilliant," Lupin said, impressed, "No one would think to look there. It looks just like any other slab of wall."

"You're such a Gryffindor," I said to him, smirking.

Lupin followed me into the empty Common Room and looked around interestedly.

"The light here is green… we must be under the lake," he remarked, "…These chairs don't look near as comfortable as the ones in the Gryffindor Common Room."

"Hmph. Wait here while I get my sweater," I said, heading for the girl's dormitories.

"What if someone comes in?" he asked, following me, "Besides, you got to see my room."

"Whatever. I'm pretty sure there's a charm on the door to keep boys out."

"Ah, but I'm not a boy, am I? I'm a teacher," he said, walking through the door.

"That just makes it all the more inappropriate," I retorted with a grin, "Perhaps the founders of the school weren't as prudish as everyone thinks."

"Or perhaps they trusted the teachers to do the right thing," he suggested as we entered the dormitory. He sat on the edge of my bed as I began to rummage through my trunk.

"Not very smart of them, was it?" I said, grinning.

"Hey, no fair! Our sheets are cotton- _were _cotton," Lupin said, fingering my silver satin bed sheets.

"What can I say? They spoil us. I, for one, now find it impossible to sleep on anything else."

"The cot I summoned for you that night had cotton sheets."

"I didn't do much sleeping that night, did I?"

"Why must you make it sound so much worse than it was?"

"Because I like to," I said with a grin, "Actually, I transfigured those sheets when you were getting ready for bed."

I pulled my thick black sweater out of my trunk, along with my silver and green Slytherin scarf.

"Have you no hat?" Lupin inquired as I pulled my sweater over my head.

"Uhm…"

I cast around the room and spotted a thick, furry hat on the bedside table of Julia Burry, who had gone home for the holidays. I walked over and took the hat.

"Thief."

"I'll give it back," I said bracingly.

"You're such a Slytherin."

"You know it," I replied, grinning.

We left the dormitory with me going first to make sure no one was in the Common Room, then the corridor. As we were making our way across the Entrance Hall, the door to the Great Hall opened and Snape came out. He stopped abruptly when he saw us. Lupin opened his mouth to greet him but before he could, Snape turned and went into the dungeon.

"He's always going to hate me," Lupin said with a sigh as we left the castle and went out onto the snow-covered grounds.

"Don't dwell on it. He's nothing but a grouch. Why would you want to be friends with him anyway?" I asked, "You have me."

"I just hate unresolved issues," he said heavily, then smiled, "Yes, I do have you for a friend, and I am glad. You're probably the best friend I've had in years, besides Dumbledore."

I said nothing but smiled as we made our way towards the forest. We would go and find a clearing like we had been doing and wait out the transformation.

We walked through the woods together, wands lit, as the sky darkened and the moon began to rise. We left the shelter and darkness of the forest suddenly and came out into a clearing. The first thing I noticed was all the Fluxweed in the clearing- it was the ideal time for harvesting it. Beside me, Lupin had gone rigid. The moon was right over the clearing. He began to transform. I sat fearlessly beside him as I always did. His cloak fell away and he dropped his cane. I retrieved both, laying the cane to the side and wrapping the cloak around my shoulders. It was somewhat warm, but it was shabby, like the rest of his clothes, and patched in a few places. I wondered how difficult it would be to get him one for Christmas. I wouldn't be able to give him one in time for the actual day, but I could always give a late gift.

When Lupin's transformation was complete, he flopped down beside me, his head in my lap.

I scratched his ears absently, like a dog, and he closed his eyes. After a few minutes, I stopped.

"I'm going to harvest the Fluxweed in this clearing, okay? It's an important ingredient in the Wolfsbane Potion," I said to him. He opened his green eyes and blinked at me. I stood and with a wave of my wand, created a bag to store the plant in. I began to walk around the clearing, harvesting the plan, glancing back every few minutes at Lupin, who was following me around the clearing on all fours. He stopped to sniff a Fluxweed plant curiously. He tried to pick it for me, first with his forepaws, then with his teeth. He dug in the dirt while tugging on the plant. He brought me the bedraggled plant with an air of pride. I laughed and let him drop the limp plant into the bag, though I knew it would be no good for use in potions because, in his efforts to help me, the plant was nearly destroyed.

A glint of something at the edge of the forest caught my eye and I looked towards it curiously. I started to go towards it, but Lupin stiffened suddenly. His ears laid back, the fur on his back stood on end, and he began to growl deep in his throat. I saw the gleam for what it was then- eyes, and not just one set. There were a few dozen eyes. They emerged from the darkness then- wolves. A whole pack of them. I dropped the bag as they approached. Lupin whined, looking between me and the hungry, snarling pack.

He crouched suddenly, his body low to the ground. He looked at me with pleading green eyes and jerked his head towards his back. He whined again. It took a moment for me to realize he wanted me to get on his back. I hesitated a moment- I didn't want to hurt him.

Lupin let out an impatient, bark-like noise which I interpreted as "this is no time to argue". I nodded and carefully climbed onto his back. He took off suddenly and I wrapped my arms around his neck and kept my body close to his so I wouldn't fall off. He turned suddenly and ran back into the clearing.

"What're you doing?" I asked, though of course he couldn't answer.

He didn't reply but snatched up the bag of Fluxweed I had dropped, then ran off.

I don't know whether or not the wolves gave chase. I was too scared to look back. I kept my eyes squeezed shut, my face buried in his soft fur. We were running for quite a while and when he finally slowed down we weren't far from Hogwarts grounds. He stopped to let me get down, which I did a little reluctantly. I had somewhat enjoyed riding on his back. He dropped the bag at my feet and walked a few feet away where he lay down with a miserable whine.

I went and sat beside him in the snow. He turned his head away dejectedly.

"It's not your fault, you know," I said, unsure if I was interpreting his feelings correctly, wishing desperately he could talk. He looked back at me, his green eyes sad.

"…Thank you for saving me," I said quietly after a minute, then I leaned down and kissed his furry nose. His ears twitched and his tail wagged a little. I chuckled quietly and leaned against him.

"You're quite warm," I murmured, wrapping his cloak around me as I leaned into him. He curled himself around me. I felt warm and comfortable, more so than I had ever been in my life. I closed my eyes with a content sigh and I was asleep within minutes.

I didn't wake up until Lupin started to morph back into a human. I sat up and watched, still feeling sleepy. When he was human again, he helped me to my feet. I removed his cloak from around my neck and draped it over his shoulders. I fastened it around his neck. His hands reached up and clasped mine. I stared up into his blue eyes, my heart pounding.

"Merry Christmas Lupin," I said softly, then I stood on my tiptoes- and kissed him.

He stood there a moment, too stunned to react, then slowly he began to kiss me back. He put his arms around me, pulling me to him. I could feel his heart beating just as rapidly as mine and I don't think either of us were breathing, but at that moment it didn't matter. At that moment, I was more happy than ever before.

And then it was over. He pulled away from me and took a few steps backwards, swearing.

"I'm sorry," he said, not looking at me.

"For what? I kissed you."

"Which was a very bad idea."

"Why? You like me. I know you do."

"But I shouldn't. I'm too old for you. I'm old enough to be your father."

"I don't care about that," I said softly.

"I'm your teacher. It's _wrong._"

"I don't care about that either. Rules are meant to be broken. Besides, it's not as if it's never been done before. Ooh a teacher-student relationship, that's a new one," I said sarcastically.

He still looked troubled. I stepped forward and touched his face gently. Finally he looked at me, his blue eyes nervous and fearful.

"Let me think on it," he said, gently pushing my hand away, "We need to get back to the castle."

I nodded my head in agreement, relieved that he hadn't flat-out rejected me and I still had a chance with him.

"You can't tell anyone what happened," Lupin said as we crossed the grounds.

"Duh," I said, but he didn't smile.

"Olivia, I'm serious."

"I don't have anyone to tell. Don't worry. …I'll make the Unbreakable Vow if you want me to," I said, completely serious.

"That won't be necessary," he said and I was secretly relieved- the Unbreakable Vow was a very serious thing.

Lupin didn't speak until we reached the Entrance Hall and had to part ways. He tapped me on the head with his wand and made me go invisible.

"Goodnight Olivia. Sweet dreams," he said softly.

"Goodnight…and Merry Christmas."

I made my way back to the Slytherin dormitories in a happy daze. There was a pile of presents at the foot of my bed, but I scarcely glanced at the,. They would be there when I woke up. I kicked off my shoes and collapsed on my bed, still smiling. I may have been completely exhausted, but I was happy.

**Snape's POV**

I awoke on Christmas morning, rather reluctantly, around eleven o'clock. I wasn't exactly filled with Christmas spirit, but I knew Albus would expect me at lunch, so I got up and got dressed. I figured I would at least get to see Olivia at lunch, so maybe the day wouldn't be a complete waste.

There was only one present sitting on my desk when I walked into my office. I sat down morosely and picked it up. It was from Albus and was wrapped in bright gold paper. With a wave of my wand, the present unwrapped itself to reveal a bottle of Firewhiskey.

_I'll probably need this later, _I thought to myself, setting the bottle aside.

I went down to the Great Hall a short while later to find that Albus had all of the tables moved against the wall, but for one long table, which sat in the center of the room. It was set for 12. I raised an eyebrow at Albus, who was just sitting down.

"Most of the students went home for the holidays- in fact, I believe there are only seven students who remained. It seemed extremely foolish to use the House tables. Besides, Christmas is about togetherness."

"Right," I mumbled, "…And if that's the case, you missed two seats."

"Professor Lupin isn't feeling well."

"That's only one."

"He suggested Miss Cain may not attend."

"Oh. Lovely," I said bitterly.

"…He could be wrong you know," Albus suggested.

I said nothing but stared sulkily at the plate in front of me as more students and staff trickled into the Great Hall.

Minerva sat on one side of me and Sprout sat on the other. Potter and his friends came in last and sat at the end of the table.

"Merry Christmas!" Albus said brightly as they approached the table, "As there are so few of us, it seemed foolish to use the House tables…. Sit down, sit down!"

They sat.

"Crackers!" Dumbledore said enthusiastically, offering me the end of a large silver noisemaker. I tugged reluctantly. There was a bang like a gunshot and the cracker flew apart, leaving a large, pointed which's hat topped with a stuffed vulture. I was reminded of Neville Longbottom's boggart, which Lupin had told me turned into me. Longbottom had used his grandmother's clothing to make the boggart-me less frightening. I noticed Potter and Weasley grinning. Not at all amused, I pushed the hat to Albus, who immediately put it on his head.

"Dig in!" he said, beaming around the table.

All around the table people began to eat. I loaded my plate but took my time, pushing around my food around the plate, not really hungry. We were soon joined by Sibyll Trelawney, the Divination teacher, who was one of my least favorite co-workers. Oblivious, Albus summoned a chair for her and put it between myself and Minerva. Minerva and I exchanged glances- she liked Sibyll about as much as I did.

"Tripe, Sibyll?" Minerva offered.

Sibyll ignored her. She opened her eyes and looked around the table.

"But where is dear Professor Lupin?" she said. I clenched my spoon in my fist. I couldn't even get through a meal without hearing his name.

"I'm afraid the poor fellow is ill again," said Albus, making a motioned for everyone to start serving themselves, "Most unfortunate that it should happen on Christmas Day."

"But surely you already knew that, Sibyll?" Minerva asked, eyebrows raised.

Sibyll shot her a very cold look.

"Certainly I knew, Minerva," she said quietly, "But one does not parade the fact that one is All-Knowing. I frequently act as though I am not possessed of the Inner Eye, so as not to make others nervous."

"That explains a great deal," said Minerva bitingly.

"If you must know, Minerva," Sibyll retorted, her voice suddenly less mystical, "I have seen that poor Professor Lupin will not be with us for very long. He seems aware, himself, that his time is short. He positively fled when I offered to crystal gaze for him-"

"Imagine that," said Minerva dryly.

"I doubt that Professor Lupin is in any immediate danger," Albus said in a cheerful but loud voice that put an end to their conversation, "Severus, you've made the potion for him again?"

"Yes, Headmaster," I said with a slightly annoyed look that was lost on everyone but him.

Overall, lunch wasn't too bad, but Olivia never showed up and I felt mopey the whole time. After lunch I went to the Potions classroom, thinking I could at least get some work done. When I got there, I found that someone had been in my classroom. There was a bag on the desk and with it was a note. I looked at the note first.

_Merry Christmas Snape. Sorry._

I recognized the handwriting immediately and, wondering why she was apologizing, I tore open the bag. It was a bunch of freshly harvested Fluxweed.

I sighed as I got up to put it in the supply cupboard. It was a useful gift…but it meant she had been out with Lupin last night while he was transformed. I shuddered slightly. I hated that she continued to put herself in danger every full moon…but it _did _cause me to become even more careful when brewing the Wolfsbane Potion. If I screwed it up, Olivia was sure to be killed.

After working for a while, I decided to go home. I didn't feel like being at Hogwarts right then. I picked up the bottle of Firewhiskey and stepped over to the fireplace. I grabbed a fistful of Floo powder from a pot on the shelf and tossed it in. Emerald flames roared to life and I stepped into them.

"Spinner's End," I said clearly, holding onto the bottle of Firewhiskey tightly.

A short while later, I stepped out into my very own sitting room, just in time to see a mouse scampering out of sigh, frightened by my sudden appearance. I sat down in my armchair and summoned a glass from the kitchen. I poured myself some Firewhiskey and began to sip it. It occurred to me that the last time I had been home, Olivia had been with me. I had spent the whole Summer pushing her away and now I'd give anything to have her here with me rather than with Lupin.

"I'm such an idiot," I muttered and downed my glass of Firewhiskey, then poured another.

I found myself wondering why the morose feeling had not left me. It wasn't until after my second glass that I recognized it for what it was- loneliness. It wasn't a feeling that I had very often. Luckily, I knew what to do when the feeling struck. I got up from my chair, re-corking the bottle of Firewhiskey and leaving it on the coffee table before heading for the door.

I returned to my house at Spinner's end less than an hour later, accompanied by a Muggle prostitute. Girls who had sex for money- how unbecoming. Still, it was my only option. I didn't want a relationship- I wanted sex. The woman who accompanied me was in her early twenties. Her hair was red, but was both brighter and significantly shorter than Lily's…or Olivia's, for that matter. Her eyes were blue, not green, but I supposed it was the best I could hope for on Christmas Day.

She wore an impossibly short black skirt, fishnet stockings, stiletto heels, and a top that showed off way too much cleavage. I exhaled heavily as I led the girl to the sitting room.

"Nice house," she murmured, looking around. Her gaze fell on the bottle on the coffee table and she glanced at me. I retrieved to cups from the kitchen and returned. I sat on the couch to pour the Firewhiskey and the girl sat beside me, as close to me as she could get. I handed her a drink and she sipped it.

"Good," she said, surprised, "I've never even heard of this before. Is it foreign?"

I nodded and the girl continued to drink. She finished one glass and I poured another.

She studied me curiously while she drank.

"You don't talk much, do you? What's your name anyway?" she inquired.

"You do not need to know my name. Nor do I require yours."

She chuckled quietly.

"Alrighty then," she said, taking another sip.

"What's so funny?"

"You talk funny."

I slid her a look and she quickly looked the other way, draining her glass.

A few glasses later, the girl was completely drunk. She had surprisingly good tolerance for a Muggle. I was leaning back on the sofa, watching her consume drink after drink. Finally, she put down the cup and moved in a drunken sort of way so that she was straddling me. She kissed me and I could taste the Firewhiskey on her breath as well as her cherry lip-gloss and the faint taste of cigarettes. As she kissed me, her hands wandered down to my pants. With skilled hands, she quickly freed my hard cock.

I exhaled slowly as she ran her fingers down it. She smiled suddenly and moved off my lap so that she was on her knees between my legs.

"I know what you want," she said, slurring her words slightly. She flicked her tongue over the head of my penis, making me shudder slightly with pleasure. She ran her tongue down, then back up repeatedly, coating my cock with her saliva. Then she took all of me in her mouth. The heat of her mouth and the continued movement of her tongue was enough to make me cum, but I refrained from doing so until she began to bob her head up and down, her teeth lightly touching me in a sort of masochistic tickle. I was unable to stop my seed from spilling forth into her mouth, though she seemed more than happy to swallow it all. She licked all trace of cum from my cock, then licked her lips. She looked up at me, her blue eyes glazed from alcohol.

"Are you going to show me to the bedroom or fuck me here on the couch?" she asked, slurred.

She stumbled on the stairs and nearly fell several times. When we reached the landing I found that she couldn't even walk straight. I felt a mixture of revulsion and pity for the poor girl. I led her into Olivia's room- the room that had been hers over the Summer- which was still exactly as she had left it. The sheets on the bed were still satin. The walls were gray and the carpet black. I started to flip the switch to turn on the overhead light, but turned on the lamp on the bedside table instead.

"Room's nice," slurred the girl. She started to walk towards the bed but stumbled and fell to the floor.

"Fuckin shoes," she muttered, ripping them off and tossing them. I helped her up and she tried to kiss me.

"No," I said.

"What do you mean no? Don't you want to _fuck_ me?" she said, sitting on the bed, her legs spread so that I could see she wore no underwear.

"No," I said pityingly, though somewhat repulsed, "You're drunk. I want you to sleep it off and go home."

I moved her off the bed and pulled back the covers for her. She studied me silently through half-closed eyes.

"Whatever," she said and crawled into the bed. I turned off the lamp and walked to the door.

"Goodnight," I said quietly as I shut the door behind me.

I went to my own room and shut the door. I lay down on the bed with a heavy sigh. I felt nothing but pity for the Muggle girl. She was still young. What life could have led to such a pitiable existence? And here I was- just as alone as I had been, only now I felt disgusted with myself for letting her do what she had done downstairs. I sighed and buried my face in the pillow.

A few hours later I was awakened by the sound of screams. I leapt up and ran to Olivia's room, my wand in my hand. When I reached the room I found the young woman from earlier sitting up in bed, sobbing.

"I'm…sorry I…woke you," she said shakily between sobs, "…Nightmare…"

I quickly hid my wand, which I had grabbed in my panic. The hysterical girl did not notice. I nonverbally used Legilimency to see what had upset her so.

It was a dream- a very vivid one- that was actually a memory. In it, she was on her hands and knees on a dirty carpet. Her face was hurt- blood was dripping onto the carpet. She tried to stand and was hit by an overweight man with a beard and glasses who wielded a lead pipe.

"Stop it…please-" said the girl. She was struck across the back with the lead pipe. She fell forward.

"Shut up, fucking whore. How 'bout I fuck you with this pipe?"

I pulled out of her mind, staggering backwards slightly. I felt like puking. I walked over to the girl and put my arms around her. She sobbed openly into my shoulder and I soother and comforted her as best as I could. Eventually her crying ceased.

"I'll get you something to help you sleep. Something that will prevent you from having dreams. Would you like that?" I asked her. She nodded, sniffling. Her face was smeared with makeup and tears. I stood and went downstairs.

A few minutes later I returned with a cup of Sleeping Draught and a warm washcloth.

"What is this, some herbal shit?" she said when I handed her the cup.

"Just drink it," I said.

She obeyed and drained the glass. She fell back on the pillows almost immediately. I took the cup from her and placed it on the bedside table. Her eyes were half open. Gently I began to wash her face with the washcloth.

"What's your name?" I asked softly as I wiped her eyeliner-streaked face.

"…Wendy," she murmured sleepily. Then her eyes closed and she was asleep.

I set the washcloth aside on the bedside table and looked down at her peaceful face. Without her excessive whorish makeup, she looked younger than 25 and resembled Olivia even more.

I tucked her into bed tenderly and started towards the door. I stopped and turned back to her, pulling out my wand. I could at least rid her of the memory that haunted her dreams.

"_Obliviate_," I said softly.

I left all the Muggle money I had on the bedside table in the room where she slept. I made sure all of the door were locked magically, except the front door and the door to her room. Then I used the fireplace in the study to Floo back to my office at Hogwarts.

When I stepped out of the fireplace in my office a moment later, I found that the house elves had decorated my office with holly and mistletoe. Annoyed, I waved my wand and sent the lot of it into the trash bin. I glanced at my watch- 11:30. It was still Christmas. As I walked towards my quarters, I noticed a piece of parchment on my desk that had no been there when I left. I picked it up and found it was Olivia's handwriting.

Where are you? I thought we needed to start the Wolfsbane Potion today? Come find me whenever you get back.

I sighed and tossed it aside. Nice to know I had screwed that up. I went to my room and sat on the bed, thinking I could go to sleep and end this miserable Christmas. Then I had another thought- it might not be _too _late to brew the potion with Olivia. I could at least go to the Slytherin Common Room and see if she was still up. Maybe Christmas wouldn't be a complete waste after all.


	13. Year 5 Chapter 6

**Author's Note: **Hello all! Be ready for a nice steamy scene towards the end of this chapter…and some foreshadowing of future events. *hint hint* lol. Leave us some reviews, ya'll!

~LittleReporterGirl

**Olivia's POV**

I hadn't woken up until late Christmas Day. I had missed breakfast and lunch and, although I was hungry, I wasn't too concerned. The first thing I had done was open my presents, which held much more appeal now that I wasn't completely exhausted. The first present was from Ellen and her boyfriend- a Muggle radio that ran off batteries. I picked up the note that had come with it.

_Olivia,_

_Merry Christmas Livvy! It seems like forever since I saw you last. I wish you would have come home for the holidays, but I know how important your Potions work is to you._

_Ryan thought this would be a good present for you since you liked the stereo in his car so much. He tells me it runs off these cylindrical metal things called batteries and that eventually they die so you must replace them. I find the whole thing a little befuddling myself, but there are several packs of the batteries in with your present. _

_Hope you have a Merry Christmas. Can't wait for the Summer holidays. Maybe all three of us can go on vacation to the beach!_

_Love,_

_Ellen_

I set the radio aside to look at later and put the note with it. I didn't want to think about the beach and Summer holidays right now. I wanted the school year to last as long as it could, so that my relationship- or whatever- with Lupin could last longer.

It was Lupin's present which I opened next. A book called _Amazing Animagi _by Robert Malgudi. I was tempted to start reading immediately but set it aside to open my last two presents. One was from Mari and contained a book of Love Potions. I groaned and tossed it into my trunk, not sure if I would read it or not. The final present was wrapped in plain brown paper. It had no note, but I recognized the handwriting that had written my name on the front. Olivia- that was Snape's handwriting. Curious, I tore into the present. Another book, this one on exotic plants and their magical properties.

I immediately felt guilty for not getting Snape something for Christmas. In years past I had given him things, but he had never mentioned it or said thank you …or given me anything in return, until now. I glanced around the dormitory and my eyes found the bag containing the Fluxweed I had harvested last night. I had been going to give it to him anyway, might as well make it a present.

I took the bag of Fluxweed and left it on Snape's desk in the Potions classroom, then I went upstairs to see if I could find Lupin. He wasn't in the Defense classroom and when I knocked on his office door, there was no answer. I tried the door and found it locked. I was curious- he wasn't just ignoring me, was he? I glanced around quickly to make sure there was no one around, then dropped to my hands and knees and peeked under the door- it appeared dark.

"Olivia?" said a voice and I cringed as I turned to face Albus Dumbledore.

"Yes?"

"What are you doing?" he inquired. I stood up, dusting myself off.

"I was curious to see if Professor Lupin was in his office, sir," I said truthfully.

"Did you try knocking?" he inquired mildly. He didn't look mad at me.

"Yes sir. There was no answer. …I thought maybe he was just ignoring me, so I peeked under the door."

"What result was yielded?"

"Sir?"

"Is he in his office or not?"

"Not. Or it was dark at any rate."

"Why would you think he was ignoring you? Why would he?" Dumbledore asked. I considered my answer carefully a moment so that it was at least partially true. I suspected that a wizard as great as Dumbledore would be able to tell when people were lying to him.

"Last night I insisted on going with him during the full moon- it's Christmas, sir, and it didn't seem fair that he was alone. While we were out in the forest, a group of wolves nearly attacked me. They probably would have killed me if not for Lupin. I thought maybe he was…upset because I'd almost gotten hurt and it was his fault. I mean, it isn't _really _his fault, but he might think it is."

"Ah. Well, have no fear. I spoke with Professor Lupin earlier this morning- he isn't feeling well today. Poor fellow. The potion really does him in. Speaking of the potion- shouldn't you and Severus begin brewing the Wolfsbane today? It's the day after the full moon."

"So it is. Do you know if he's in his office?"

"Can't hurt to knock," he said to me. I nodded and headed for the dungeons while Dumbledore continued on his way.

I made my way down to the dungeons, only to find Snape was not there either. I unlocked his office with my wand and went inside to wait for him. I waited there about an hour before getting up to leave. I left him a note on his desk, telling him to come find me.

Late that night I was sitting up in the Common Room, reading the book on Animagi that Lupin had given to me. I had long ago given up hope of seeing Snape or Lupin today. All of a sudden, the door to the Common Room opened. I glanced up from my book to see Snape. I dog-eared the page and closed the book.

"Still want to start the Wolfsbane Potion today?" he inquired.

"Yes. Where have you been all day?"

"It's Christmas," he said evasively.

"So? We don't have a big family dinner or anything."

"I went home."

"Alone? But it's Christmas."

"Maybe I wasn't alone," he said irritably.

I studied him silently, trying to discern if he was bluffing or not. I didn't think he was.

"Well, good for you," I said, actually meaning it, though I felt a weird feeling inside, "…What made you come back though?"

He frowned at me.

"Don't worry about it," he said, "I have my reasons. Are you coming to brew the potion or not?"

"Yeah, alright," I said, getting up. I left my book on the couch and followed Snape out.

When we reached the Potions classroom, we began to prepare the Wolfsbane Potion. We made three cauldrons so I could experiment again.

"I need inspiration," I said with a sigh, "I haven't the faintest idea how to go about altering it."

"Many skilled wizards have tried and failed."

"Do you think I will fail?"

He looked reluctant to respond.

"It is…unlikely that you will succeed," he said slowly, "…but I would be most proud of you if you did."

It was almost 3:00 in the morning when we finished working on the Wolfsbane Potion. I was exhausted and had been yawning for hours.

"I'm glad it's the holidays," I said sleepily as we cleared everything away, "I can sleep in."

"You can go ahead and go if you want. I can clean this up myself."

"No, I'll do it. I am the apprentice, after all."

"I've a better idea," he said with a faint smile. He waved his wand. Things flew to the sink and began to wash, dry, and put themselves away. Leftover ingredients returned to the cabinet or trashcan.

"Nice one," Is aid with a grin and started towards the door, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," he repeated quietly.

I returned to the Slytherin Common Room and picked up the book I had left on the couch before heading into the dormitory. I lay the book on the bedside table and crawled into bed. I was asleep within seconds.

That night my dreams were filled with people who turned into animals- no doubt from reading the Animagus book. Everyone I knew was an animal- Snape was a bat, Lupin was a wolf (duh), Mari was a fox, Dumbledore was an owl, Ellen was an eagle… even Ryan was in my dream and he was a newt, which I found highly amusing.

When I awoke the next morning I was determined to become an Animagus. I wanted desperately to know what animal I would become. I got up, got dressed, and took the book out onto Hogwarts grounds, where I was unlikely to be disturbed. I went down towards the lake to where a large tree grew. I cleaned some snow away so that I could sit with my back against the tree and read.

The book wasn't very specific about _how _to change into an Animagus. It didn't require a spell, but took a lot of focus and determination. You had to _feel _it. I read the book all the way through once, then began my attempts to transform.

I knew I had to have looked incredibly foolish. I felt like an idiot, but I kept it up for about three hours before calling it quits and going inside for lunch. I read the book once again as I ate lunch, only glancing up from it a few times to look at Lupin, who was sitting at the staff table, eating voraciously. The effects of the potion had worn off apparently, though he still appeared thin and pale. Still, it was good to see him eating.

I was so absorbed in the book that I didn't notice when a small tawny owl landed on the table in front of me until it began to nibble my fingers.

"Ow!" I exclaimed, more surprised than hurt. I set the book aside.

"Hey there little guy," I said fondly, stroking his soft feathers. The owl hooted softly and clicked his beak, then lifted up his leg, to which there was a note attached.

"Oh you have a note for me, huh? Thank you," I said, untying the note. I gave the owl a bit of bread and let him dip his beak into my goblet of water before he flew away.

Curious, I unfolded the note.

_**Meet me by the lake in an hour.**_

_**~R.J.L.**_

I glanced up at the staff table again. This time Lupin caught my eye, smiled, and quickly glanced away. I looked back down at the note, smiling, wondering vaguely what his middle name was.

I spent the next hour in my dormitory, digging through my trunk, trying to find something cute to wear- a difficult feat, as it was winter and most of my cute clothes were tank tops and the like. I eventually found a soft, pale blue, cashmere sweater that I had borrowed from Mari last year. Despite the fact that she was older, Mari was smaller than me- shorter and skinnier- so the sweater was tight on me, but in a cute way. That along with my black jeans and boots made an acceptable outfit.

I brushed my hair several times, looking at myself in the mirror. I messed with it for about ten minutes until it was wavy and satisfied me. I added a little bit of makeup to my face- light blue eye shadow to match my sweater, mascara, and some cherry lip-gloss. Finally I was satisfied with my reflection, though I still wished Mari was there to verify. She was a lot better at the girly stuff than myself.

I made my way outside and when I saw Lupin standing by the lake my heart jumped in my chest. He was facing the water, his back to me, so he didn't see me approach. Smiling mischievously, gathered some snow in my hands and made a snowball. I tossed it at him and it hit his back. He whipped around, startled, then smiled when he saw it was me.

"How's it goin?" I asked, immediately feeling like an idiot.

He smiled even more.

"Lovely. You?"

"Eh, I spent the entire morning outside. Over there by that tree to be exact," I said, pointing to the tree.

"Doing what?" he asked curiously.

"Reading…and trying to turn myself into an animal. It's harder than it sounds. Don't suppose you have any tips?"

"Sorry," he said with a slight chuckle, "Why not ask McGonagall? She's an Animagus."

"She hates me."

"Oh yeah."

We stood looking out over the lake for a long time neither of us speaking. I figured he'd come to talk about what happened early Christmas morning, but didn't quite know how to start. Maybe he needed a little persuading.

I inched a little closer to him and laced my fingers with his. To my surprise and delight, he did not pull away. He sighed softly and squeezed my hand.

"So, you've reached a decision then?" I prompted.

"Well… I am quite fond of you…"

"And I am quite fond of you as well."

"But I'm…scared."

"Of what?"

"Of someone finding out. I could lose my job…"

"You're only staying a year anyway. Don't worry about someone finding out. If we do get caught…I'll tell Dumbledore I seduced you," I said with a faint smile, "I could say I used a love potion."

"…What happens at the end of the school year? It's not like we can have a relationship."

"I know that. …Can't we just have fun while it lasts?"

"You're right… but we have to be careful."

"Right. Not where anyone can see," I said and promptly released his hand, "Luckily, I have an idea. Meet me by the gate at eight o'clock tonight."

"The gate? Why?" he asked, frowning slightly.

"I'm not telling," I said with a grin, "Don't worry about it. We won't get caught."

"If we get caught I'm saying I caught you sneaking out."

"Fine. Want to build a snowman?"

"Wh-? Okay."

We began to roll up snow into three large balls, which we used to make 3-segmented snowman. We used rocks for his eyes and mouth and sticks for his nose and arms. I took my scarf and put it around the snowman's neck.

"What're you two doing?" asked a sour voice. I turned to see Snape walking along the path towards the gate. I abandoned the snowman and walked over to him. Lupin stayed behind with the snowman. I didn't blame him.

"We're building a snowman. Care to join us?"

"I think not," he sneered and continued walking.

I followed.

"Where are you going?"

"None of your business."

I made a face at him.

"Can I use the Potions classroom later? I want to try brewing a potion I found in a book."

"The door is locked."

"So? I know the spell to get in. I could've broken in, but asking permission seemed more prudent."

"Fine," he said irritable, "Just don't blow anything up."

"When have I ever blown anything up?"

As Snape walked away, I quickly made a snowball and launched it at him. Before it could hit him, Snape raised his wand, without even looking behind himself, and the snowball exploded. Snape glanced back at me and I went to hide behind Lupin.

"He's no fun," I said once Snape was out of earshot, "Want to build another snowman? Or how about a snow-wolf?"

Lupin smiled.

"Have you ever made an igloo?" he inquired.

"No."

"It's easy…with magic anyway," he said, pulling out his wand and waving it, "_Iglu erectus."_

Within seconds there was a perfect igloo right beside the snowman.

"Cool!" I exclaimed, "Can I go inside?"

"Of course."

I crawled into the igloo. It was big enough to sit comfortably inside and I did so.

"I could read a book in here," I called to Lupin, "This is awesome."

A moment later, Lupin crawled into the igloo.

"I haven't been in one of these since I was a kid," he said, looking around. There was barely enough room in the igloo for both of us and my heart had began to pound again, being in such close proximity to him. His light blue eyes looked questioningly at me. I touched his cheek gently then brought my lips to his. We began to kiss hungrily, my hands in his hair, his arms around me. Our breathing was ragged and uneven. When we stopped to catch our breath, Lupin chuckled quietly.

"I think we're melting the igloo, Olivia," he murmured, his warm breath tickling my ear, "…We shouldn't stay in here long."

I kissed him again quickly, then forced myself to pull away.

"I'll go first and make sure the coast is clear," I said, then crawled out of the igloo.

We went back to the castle after than and we parted ways in the Entrance Hall, after he promised to meet me at 8pm. I stopped by the dormitory and found one of my Potions books. Then I went to the classroom, opened the book to the page that had the Aging Potion on it, and began to gather ingredients…

That night at ten to eight I took a couple of sips of Aging Potion so that when I went out to meet Lupin I was in the body of a 28-year old. I charmed my clothes so that they would expand as necessary and applied a fresh layer of makeup.

When I made my way towards the Gate, I found Lupin waiting for me. He didn't notice me approach and when I stepped out of the shadows he stumbled back, looking as if he'd seen a ghost.

"Lily?" he breathed, eyes wide.

"Uh, no," I said, frowning at him.

"…Olivia?"

"Yep. Aging Potion," I said proudly, "…Did you think I was Potter's mum?"

"Well the resemblance is uncanny…never mind. Would you like to go out?"

"That was the general plan, yeah," I said with a grin, "Hogsmeade?"

"Fantastic."

We passed through the gates of Hogwarts together, our wolf Patronuses keeping the dementors at bay. We walked slowly along the path together. After a moment, he took my hand, glancing at me and smiling.

"What's your middle name?" I asked curiously.

He looked mildly surprised.

"John," he replied with a smile, "Do you have a middle name?"

"You're going to laugh."

"How do you know?"

"Everyone laughs."

"I won't. I promise."

"Fine…my middle name is Turtle."

The corners of his eyes crinkled in suppressed laughter and he grinned at me.

"Ellen has a thing for the ocean," I said with a shrug.

"I think it's adorable," he said, still smiling.

When we reached Hogsmeade, Lupin led me into the Three Broomsticks. We went to a table in the far corner, away from the few patrons who sat around the bar, drinking. Madam Rosmerta came over and took our order- a glass of sherry for me and Firewhiskey for Lupin.

"You shouldn't be drinking," he said once she was gone, "You're underage."

I made a face at him.

"How long does it take the effects of the potion to wear off?" he inquired curiously.

"Two hours."

"Excellent," he said with a grin.

We stayed at the bar for an hour, drinking and talking. Afterwards we walked carelessly towards the Shrieking Shack, talking a little and, let's face it, snogging. We went through the hidden passage in the Shrieking shack back to Hogwarts grounds. By the time we reached the castle, the potion had worn off.

"Luckily I have a flask full for future usage," I said once I was my normal teenage self again.

"Yeah. I had fun tonight," Lupin said as we entered the Entrance Hall, "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Most definitely. Goodnight."

"Goodnight Olivia."

We didn't risk a goodnight kiss, but I could tell from the look in his eye that he wanted to kiss me. He touched my cheek gently, sighed, and headed up the Grand Staircase.

I returned to my dormitory feeling quite pleased with myself and the night's events. I dressed in my nightclothes- black shorts and a green tank top- and crawled into bed. I had _Amazing Animagi _with me and contented myself to read it until I fell asleep, determined that I would become an Animagus before the next full moon.

**Snape's POV**

After the start of the new year, classes resumed. Hogwarts was flooded with students once again, whose main topic of conversation seemed to be the impending Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. If Ravenclaw won, Slytherin had a better chance of winning the Quidditch Cup.

The morning of the match I made my way down to the Quidditch pitch. I decided to sit in the Slytherin stands rather than with the teachers. At least this way I wouldn't have to see Lupin. I sat on the third row of bleachers from the front, close to the edge where the stairs were. I glanced around the sea of Slytherin students, half-looking for the glint of her red hair or even the pale-blonde hair of Draco Malfoy, the son of my Death-Eater friend Lucius, who would at least come sit with me if he saw me, but only because he was a suck up. I saw neither Draco or Olivia. I frowned slightly- it was unusual for either of them to miss a game- they both loved Quidditch.

Over the chatter of the students I heard her voice suddenly. From where I sat I could see the ground beside the stairs and I looked down to see Olivia standing there with Lupin.

"Come sit with me," she said to him.

"I can't, Turtle. I'm supposed to sit with the teachers," he replied. I wondered at the nickname.

"You're not required to. Snape sits with us sometimes. Sprout sits with the Hufflepuffs."

"Those are Heads of Houses," he pointed out, "I think someone would notice if I sat with Slytherins. They don't particularly like me, you know."

"They think your classes are interesting," she argued, "They don't _not _like you."

"The third years make fun of me behind my back."

"They're idiots No one's going to notice. Everyone will be watching the match."

It wasn't until after the match began that Olivia came and sat in the front row of the stands…with Lupin right beside her. I ignored them and tried to focus my attention on the game. Bits of their conversation kept floating back to me. I tried to focus on the commentary as I watched Potter zooming around on his new broomstick- a Firebolt, which had been sent to him anonymously over Christmas. There had been some concern that it might have been from Black so it had been stripped down, tested for curses, and eventually returned to Potter. I myself had gone over the broomstick several times and though I had found not evidence of it being tampered with, I still wasn't completely satisfied that it wasn't cursed or hexed.

During the last match before the holidays, dementors had shown up during the game. Potter had fainted and nearly been killed. Albus had been furious. I felt confident the dementors would not dare strike again but doubted myself when, towards the end of the match, hooded figures came onto the field.

I realized almost immediately that they weren't dementors, but Potter obviously did not. From far above the ground, he pulled out his wand. A Patronus shot towards the hooded figures- a corporeal Patronus. It was a stag, just as his father's had been. The crowd gave up a cheer as Potter caught the Snitch, just as the Patronus toppled over the hooded figures, which turned out to be nothing other than Draco, his cronies Crabbe and Goyle, and the Slytherin Quidditch team Captain Marcus Flint.

"What a low, cowardly thing to do," said Lupin, who looked shaken, probably by Potter's Patronus.

"What'd you expect? They're Slytherins," Olivia said with a shrug, "That was a hell of a Patronus though. You didn't tell me he'd progressed that far."

"He hadn't. This is the first time he's produced a corporeal Patronus."

'Oh. What was it anyway? A deer?"

"A stag…" Lupin said with a nod, "I must have a word with him. See you later?"

"Of course."

Lupin left the stands and went out onto the field, where a crowd of people had gathered around Potter. McGonagall was yelling at the Slytherin boys, her face a mask of pure fury. I left the stands and started towards the castle.

"Wait up!" a voice called. I turned to see Olivia hurrying to catch up with me. I paused to wait for her, though I wasn't sure I wanted to, and we continued towards the castle.

"Shouldn't you be talking punishments with McGonagall?" she inquired. I glanced sideways at her.

"I'll let Albus handle it. I could care less what happens to those idiots."

"Cool," she said with a grin, "Want to go work on the Wolfsbane Potion?"

"May as well."

I was awakened later that night when Sirius Black once again infiltrated the castle. He had made it to the Gryffindor boy's dormitory and nearly stabbed Ronald Weasley before fleeing. So once again I spent the entire night searching the castle and grounds, only to find nothing.

Security was increased around the castle after that. Several trolls now patrolled the corridors nearest to the Gryffindor Common Room. Flitwick was trying to charm the doors into recognizing Sirius Black. More dementors showed up at every entrance and they seemed even more restless than usual. I knew that if Black tried again, he would be caught, and I desperately wanted to be the one to catch him.

**Olivia's POV**

The tightened security after Black's second attempt at killing Harry Potter didn't stop me from going out onto the grounds to read or prevent me from going out with Lupin. I still worked diligently at becoming an Animagus and read all the books the library had about them. One evening out by the lake, all my hard work finally paid off.

I felt my bones begin to shrink and contort. Fur sprouted out of my skin. It felt like I was being compressed while hands clawed at my skin. I closed my eyes in discomfort but decided it wasn't completely unbearable.

When it finally stopped, I opened my eyes to find that I was on all fours. I lad light grey fur, long claws that didn't retract, padded feet- I was either a dog or some sort of-

"Wolf, of course!" I said excitedly. At least, that's what I _tried _to say- it actually came out as a combination of yips and barks.

_I can't talk, _I realized. Several of the books had mentioned this, of course. It had said that I would be able to understand other animals on a basic level. Curious as to what that meant, I started towards the forest un search of other animals.

The darkness of the forest was no longer dark to me. My wolf eyes could see anything. My ears picked up on even the tiniest of sounds. The first animal I encountered was a fox.

"Hi!" I said loudly, which of course came out as a loud bark. The fox gave a start and dashed away out of sight.

I cursed myself inwardly. I had to learn to keep my mouth shut. How did animals greet each other? I hid myself behind a bush to watch and to listen. Presently, I heard a bird flying overhead, chirping. A bird in a nearby tree responded. I knew, without knowing how I knew, what they were saying to each other.

"All is well," said the flying one.

"Wolf is there. No danger. All is well," replied the one in the tree.

_Freaky_, I thought to myself, looking around. I could smell a million different smells, including every single plant in the forest. With each smell came a different, deep-rooted sort of instinct that told me if the plant was good to eat or bad.

My ears pricked suddenly and all my senses focused on a squirrel which was foraging for nuts at the foot of a tree. My instinct told me this thing would be good to eat, but the human part of me repelled the thought.

"Snake! Snake!" cried the bird in the sky. All around me, small animals hid themselves. Several birds took flight. I cast around, looking, listening, and smelling. My senses were drawn to the thick yellow snake which was making its way slowly up a tree. I watched it curiously. I could _sense _it. I understood now what the book meant. I _understood _the snake. It was hungry, it smelled bird eggs, it was going to satisfy its hunger. Suddenly, from out of nowhere, an enormous black dog bounded up. It grabbed the snake and with a few swift snaps, killed it. The two birds chirped their delight. Slowly, the small animals emerged from hiding. Birds came back into the tree. The squirrel who had been gathering nuts scampered down his tree and continued to do so. The black dog was chewing on the snake. I stepped out from behind the bush. The dogs big, floppy ears pricked up suddenly and he turned to me quickly. I could sense several things from the dog- curiosity, and confusion mostly, but underlying that was a friendly greeting. He wagged his tail at me. I subconsciously did the same. I glanced over my shoulder at my tail- it was long and silky. I wagged it again experimentally.

The dog had walked up to me and was now sniffing me curiously. Up close I could tell he was an old dog, who had suffered much. His fur was matted and caked with dirt and mud. His fur was shaggy and he was thin. I felt sympathetic- no doubt he was a stray. If I was human I could clean him up and maybe find him some food.

_Time to see if I can even turn back at all, _I thought to myself.

A moment later, I was human again. The dog stared at me, eyes wide in shock. He circled me, studying me.

"Good boy," I said, glad that I could talk again. The dog wagged his tail and licked my hands. I crouched down to pet an scratch him. His tail started going like crazy and he licked my face. I laughed.

"Sorry if I scared you, boy. I'm not really a wolf, see. I'm a witch. I just discovered I can be an Animagus today. I've been trying for ages," I said to the dog. He wagged his tail and started into the forest.

He looked back over his shoulder at me, which I took as a sign to follow him. With a little effort, I changed back into a wolf and hurried after him into the forest.

After a moment, I realized the black dog was following his nose to water. When we emerged from the forest, it was near the river. The dog immediately knelt and lapped up some water. I copied him, trying to lap up water like a dog. I choked and coughed slightly. The dog let out a few quick barks that sounded like laughter.

"Oh shut it," I said, forgetting I was a wolf. It came out as a low growl. The dog laughed again. He lapped up water, slower this time so that I could see his tongue was actually scooping the water back into his mouth. This time when I drank I didn't choke.

I morphed back into a human.

"Okay doggy- you need a bath. Then, when I get back to the castle, I can bring you some food."

The dog looked towards the water and whined pathetically.

"Come on, now. It's just a bath. Don't you want to be clean?"

The dog heaved a sigh- which I didn't know dogs could do- and leapt into the water, splashing me slightly.

He flopped down in the shallows near the shore, looking at me and wagging his tail. I transfigured a rock into a large cup, which I filled with river water and poured over his back.

"Would be nice if I had some soap," I said as I washed the grime out of his fur, "…I'll bet I could make a potion that keeps fleas away. Potions are my specialty, you know? I want to be a veterinarian for Wizarding animals. I've invented a few potions for animals. I'm always looking to try new potions."

He wagged his tail excitedly and climbed out of the water. He shook the water from his fur and bounded into the forest once more. I quickly morphed and followed him.

He led me through the underbrush until we came to a pungent-smelling plant. He tore off a leaf with his teeth and pressed it to his flank where I had seen a nasty-looking flea bed. The fleas dropped off immediately. I transformed back into a human- which was getting easier- before the fleas could jump on me.

"Excellent, doggy. This'll be an excellent start for a potion. Do you know of anything similar?"

It didn't occur to me that I was talking to the dog as of he was a person because of the fact he _did _seem to understand me. The dog showed me 3 other plants which repelled fleas and one which relieved itching. I collected several samples from them all.

Eventually I realized it was exceptionally late and I started to make my way back towards the castle in wolf form. The dog followed me until we reached the edge of Hogwarts grounds. There he stopped and whined reluctantly. I didn't understand his reluctance, but knew nothing I did could convince him to come onto the grounds. I morphed into human.

"I'll sneak some food out for you tomorrow morning after breakfast. Will you be here?" I inquired. He wagged his tail.

"Now let's hope I can get into the castle," I murmured to myself.

Much to my panic, I found the doors to the castle locked.

"Shit," I said, "Shit, shit, shit."

I glanced at my watch. It was nearing midnight…maybe not too late…

I walked around the castle until I found the window to Lupin's office. At least, I was _pretty _sure it was the window to his office…

I picked up a pebble and tossed it at the window. It hit about a foot below it. I sighed. I wasn't as good at throwing as I was at, say, hitting…

I found a stick about the size of a beaters bat- I had been on the Slytherin Quidditch team my second and third year. I found a rock, tossed it straight up in the air, and hit it when it came down. The rock sailed towards the window and crashed through the glass.

"Oops," I said aloud.

Lupin came to the window, studied the broken glass, then opened the window and peered down at me.

"I got locked out," I whispered loudly.

"Wha-?"

I transformed quickly into a wolf, ran in a circle, and looked back up at him. He was staring down at me, silent. I transformed again.

"Come let me in, before I get caught," I said anxiously.

"Right. Of course. Be there in a minute, Turtle."

He disappeared. I had to smile- he had taken the middle name I hated and turned it into an affectionate pet name that I actually sort of liked.

I transformed into a wolf again and went to wait for Lupin. When he came out he knelt beside me where I lay in wolf form. He touched my face gently. I closed my eyes as he ran his hands over my head, ears, back, and tail.

"Remarkable," he said quietly. I inhaled deeply, relaxed. I could smell the wolf in him.

"How long have you been out here?" he asked me.

"Hours," I said, but it came out as a whine.

"Transform back. You can't talk in your animal form."

I transformed back.

"I know that. It's gonna take some getting used to. I've been out here for hours, exploring this form. _And _I've been inspired for new animal potions," I said, showing him the plants I had harvested. He smiled and shook his head.

"Come on," he said, beckoning for me to follow him into the castle.

"Did I wake you up?" I asked as I followed him.

"I was grading essays. I was half-asleep though. I thought I was dreaming when I saw you turn into a wolf."

"Want me to come upstairs and help you grade essays?" I offered,

"I don't think that would be a good idea," he said, "And I'm not sure I'd be able to get much work done."

He smiled briefly.

"Alright then. I guess this is where we part," I said as we reached the Entrance Hall.

"I'm afraid so. Goodnight Turtle."

"Goodnight."

I went down into the dungeons. I wasn't particularly tired and I was disappointed Lupin hadn't wanted me to come upstairs with him. I paused outside of the hidden entrance to the Slytherin Common Room, about to give the password, but decided not to. My hand found the herbs in my pocket. My mind was teeming with ideas for my new potion. I turned and headed for the Potions classroom.

**Snape's POV**

I awoke Friday morning and got dressed as I did nearly every day. I was tired and I desperately needed coffee. I started towards the Great Hall for breakfast, but stopped when I noticed the light on in my classroom. I threw open the door to find Olivia hastily chopping roots on the counter. There were three strange potions bubbling behind her. One was white and had swirling mist above it. Another was orange and had thick smoke clouds over it that smelled like pepper. The third was light green and smelled bitter- there was a spoon stirring it by magic as it bubbled.

"Oh hi," she said to me brightly, not looking up from her rapid chopping.

"Hi. How long have you been here?"

"What time is it?" she inquired.

"Almost 7:00."

"really? All night then I suppose."

"What're you working on?"

"A potion that keeps fleas off animals. I'm almost ready to test them," she said enthusiastically.

"Do you have an animal to test it one?" I inquired.

"Well, no."

"You could wait until the next full moon and test it on _Lupin_," I said, unable to help myself.

She spared a moment to shoot me a scathing look.

"Lupin does not have fleas," she said coolly, "And if you're going to be all negative you can leave."

"This is _my _classroom. I'm not going anywhere," I said, "…but I _can _find an animal for you to test on."

"Really? That would be a big help."

"Sure. No problem," I replied.

It didn't take long for me to find a cat lurking around the dungeon, searching for mice.

"Here kitty," I said, suppressing a yawn. The cat glanced at me, then ignored me.

"It's not like I want to be out here this early," I grumbled to the cat, "I haven't even had coffee yet."

The cat still did not come to me. I groaned heavily. I could just Stun it…but something told me Olivia wouldn't like that.

"You win this time, cat. I'll be back," I said to the calico.

I returned to the Potions classroom empty-handed. Olivia raised an eyebrow at me.

"I need something make a cat come to me," I explained as I searched through the store cupboard, "Ah!"

"Sleeping Potion?" she said with a smile.

I placed the vial of potion on my desk. I thought a minute- there would be food upstairs in the kitchen. With a wave of my wand, I summoned a plate which had five strips of bacon on it. I ate two of the strips and added Sleeping Potion to the other three. Olivia was still watching me as I walked towards the door. I paused.

"It's not going to hurt them," I said to her.

"Oh I know," she replied, "…you are doing a nice thing."

"So? I do nice things. I let you stay at my house, didn't I?"

"Ellen blackmailed you into that, didn't she?"

"Well, yes," I admitted- Ellen had played the 'you rescued her' thing until I had no choice but to take her, "It didn't take much convincing really. …You're not a bad kid. A tad stubborn on occasion and way too smart for your own good. You can be nosy, too."

"You couldn't just leave it with the compliment?" she asked, laughing.

"finish your potions," I said, smiling as I walked out the door.

I found the exact same calico cat, still searching for mice in the dungeons.

"Bacon, kitty," I said to it, setting the plate down. The cat's ears pricked up and it pranced over to the plate. Two bites later, it was fast asleep.

I took the cat back to Olivia, who conjured a blanket and made a bed for it.

"I need two more," Olivia said, "I have three potions to test."

"Of course you do," I said heavily, but really I didn't mind, "Give me five minutes."

Five minutes later I returned with two peacefully sleeping cats. I opened the door to the classroom to find Olivia sitting on the floor, playing with the calico cat who was now awake.

"Have you tested it yet?" I inquired.

"I was waiting on you," she replied, "…In case something goes horribly wrong."

"I don't think anything will go horribly wrong," I assured her, "I trust your intuition as a potion-maker."

"Thanks," she said with a smile.

"Of course I've been wrong before," I added quickly.

She scowled at me.

I watched as Olivia let a drop of each potion fall on a different cat. She did the orange potion first, dripping a drop on one of the sleeping cats. She got up close to the cat, brushing its fur the wrong way so she could see the fleas. She picked a few fleas off and looked at them in her hand.

"It killed them," she announced.

"Good," I said.

She looked neither proud nor disappointed, but continued on to the next sleeping cat. She let a drop of the light green potion fall on its back. She looked the cat over, frowning slightly. A moment passed and even from where I stood I could see the fleas fleeing from the cats back.

"Excellent," Olivia said with a grin, "Much more humane."

"Humane? Olivia, they're fleas."

"They're still alive," she said, "Haven't you ever seen a flea circus?"

"No. Have _you_?"

"Well, no," she admitted, "But it sounds awesome. On to the next potion."

She went to the final cauldron, conjured up a saucer, and ladled a little of the white potion into it. She turned to the calico cat, who was scratching a spot behind its ear vivaciously with its hind leg.

"I need you to drink this, kitty," she said, kneeling down and placing he saucer on the ground. Curious, I waited to see what would happen. The cat stopped scratching and looked towards Olivia. Then it stepped forward and sniffed the saucer tentatively.

"It's okay kitty. See?" Olivia said, dipping her finger into the saucer and bringing it to her lips.

"Olivia!" I said before she could taste it, "That could kill you."

"If something happens, just shove a bezoar down my throat," she said simply.

"That doesn't always-" I began, but she stuck her finger in her mouth anyway, "-work."

I watched her anxiously for any signs of poisoning. Nothing happened. The cat leaned down to lap the potion. Olivia sat there, petting the cat and looking closely at its fur. She did this for a bout ten minutes, then jumped to her feet, her green eyes gleaming with excitement.

"It works!" she exclaimed loudly, "It works, it works, it works! Yes!"

In her excitement, she hugged me. I scowled and pushed her away with one hand, though it was perhaps the hardest thing I'd ever done.

"What works exactly?" I asked dryly.

"The potion- it relieves itching _and _heals small tear in the skin or irritation from the fleas," she said proudly.

"Are all of these your first attempts?" I inquired.

"No of course not. I've been here all night. I've had several…well, complete disasters, really. But at least I cleaned up."

"You did. How are you going to attend all of your classes if you haven't slept all night?"

"I thought of that," she said, disappearing into the store cupboard and reappearing a moment later with a vial.

"Invigoration Draught… You know if you take a lot you'll end up crashing?"

"I'm aware," she said dismissively, "It's just for today. I'm starved…want to walk down to breakfast with me?"

I nodded briefly. We took the cats and left them outside the Potions classroom.

"I need to observe them for longer, to see how long it takes to wear off," she said, looking back over her shoulder at the cats.

"Perhaps you could get someone to let you test it on their pets? You can advertise on the bulletin board in the Common Room. Perhaps offer money," I suggested, "Once you know all the finer details, you could sell you potions to students for their pets, make back your money."

She looked at me in a curious sort of way and smiled.

"That is a…very good idea," she said.

"It's been known to happen."

We walked into the Great Hall together. Olivia went and sat at the Slytherin table with her friend Mari. I made my way to the staff table, pretending not to notice Lupin frowning slightly at me. I suppressed a smile as I walked past him and sat down to eat breakfast.

**Olivia's POV**

I ate breakfast quickly, took a swig of Invigoration Draught, and started stowing food away in my pocket, which I magically expanded. I hadn't forgotten about the stray from last night and I had samples of the potions for him. I left the Great Hall and was on my way outside when a voice stopped me.

"Turtle."

I turned to face Lupin, smiling.

"You have _got _to stop calling me that."

"Where are you off to?" he inquired.

"Test out some new potions I made. Find some strays."

"Please tell me you didn't stay up all night brewing potions."

"That'd be a lie, love."

"Olivia…" he said exasperatedly, "You're insane."

"Probably. I'm gonna go before classes start. See you during Defense class."

"Sure. Later," he said with a smile.

No one was out on Hogwarts grounds this early. I practically sprinted to the edge of the Forbidden forest, hoping no teacher was looking out their window. I was delighted to find the black dog waiting for me.

"See, I told you I'd be back," I said as I began to pull the food form my pocket, "…What's weird is that you understood me."

The dog smiled and wagged his tail, then began to wolf down the food I had brought.

"You need a name," I said thoughtfully, "I can't just keep calling you 'doggy'. How about Midnight?"

The dog paused in eating to shoot me what was definitely a disapproving look.

"What about Bob?" I suggested. He snorted.

We went through several names in the amount of time I took him to eat. Finally, when I suggested the name Blackie, he grinned and barked.

"Does that mean you approve?" I said.

He wagged his tail.

"Blackie it is, then. …Oh, I have something else for you."

He wagged his tail excitedly and began to drool as I rummaged through my pockets. His tail drooped when he saw the three vials of potion.

"It'll keep the fleas off you. I was up all night working on it."

Blackie looked anxious. He whined and tucked his tail between his legs.

"Don't worry. I've already tested it. It's even safe for humans. Two of them are topical- one kills fleas, the other repels them. Which one do you want?"

I could've sworn he rolled his eyes at me.

"Fine. I'll pick for you," I said, choosing the repellent, "Two drops should do it…"

Five minutes later, Blackie was completely void of fleas. He lay sprawled on the ground, looking full and content. I scratched behind his ears, then stood to go.

"I've gotta go. Classes start soon. I'll try to sneak more food out at dinner."

Blackie wagged his tail and watched me leave.

After my last class of the day, I made my way down to the Potions classroom to finish off this month's batch of Wolfsbane with Snape, with today being the beginning of the 7-day period before the full moon. When it was ready, Snape filled a goblet and handed it to me.

"To Lupin," he said. I half-expected a snide remark and was somewhat surprised when he didn't make one.

"What?" Snape said, for I was just standing there, looking at him.

"Hm? Nothing," I said, shaking my head and heading for the door.

As Lupin drank the potion, I sat in the chair in front of his desk, watching the grindylow swim around its tank.

"Are you going to Hogsmeade tomorrow?" he asked me, setting the empty goblet aside.

"I suppose that depends on if you are or not," I replied.

"It's unlikely that I will feel up to going. You should go- have fun, be a kid."

"I've seen Hogsmeade a billion times. It's no fun without you."

He smiled.

"In that case, would you like to have tea with me tomorrow?"

"Just tea?" I asked with a flirtatious smile.

"Yes. Just tea."

"Yeah, alright. Want to hear about the potions I created?"

"Of course."

I spent the rest of the afternoon with Lupin, telling him about my potions. He tried to look interested and I knew he was pleased for me, but I could ell I was boring him to death. We walked down to the Great Hall together for dinner, after which I managed to slip outside, feel Blackie, and get back in before curfew.

I slept until late the next morning. When I finally did wake up, I felt immensely guilty that I hadn't taken Blackie breakfast.

"He's not your dog," I told myself as I got dressed, "You don't _have _to feed him. He managed well enough without you before."

I left the dormitory to find the Common Room empty, apart from a few younger students and Mari, who sat in a corner, her nose buried in a book.

"Whatcha doin?" I asked, walking over to her.

"Studying for my NEWT exams."

"No Hogsmeade?"

"No. You?"

"Nah. I'm going to have tea with Lupin later."

She looked up from her book and grinned knowingly. True to my promise to Lupin, I hadn't told her anything about our kiss…she'd figured it out for herself.

"Say, you don't know where the kitchens are, do you?" I asked suddenly, changing the subject.

"Of course I do. Have you ever noticed the other door in the Entrance Hall? The one the Hufflepuffs go into?"

"The one that leads to the corridor with all the paintings of food?"

"Yes! The painting of the silver bowl with the fruit- tickle the green pear."

"That's it?"

"That's it."

"Thanks Mari."

"No problem. That's what I'm here for, to share my wiseness with you young ones. …Shouldn't you be studying for your OWLs?"

"What're you, McGonagall? I'm not worried about exams. Later Mari."

I hurried upstairs to the Entrance Hall, looked around, and slipped through the door. When I found the painting, I tickled the pear. It began to giggle and squirm until it turned into a green door handle. I opened the door to find a large kitchen with a ceiling as high as that in the Great Hall. There were four long tables, identical to the House tables, which were being laden with more and more food by dozens of little house-elves.

"How can we helps you, miss?" asked one of the elves, bowing to me.

"would you like tea?" another asked.

"Food?" said another.

"Yes. I've several stray animals which I try and feed. If you have any leftover scraps or something-"

Within minutes I was given a whole, large ham, several pork chops, a loaf of fresh-baked bread and several other things.

"Thank you," I said to the house-elves, impressed, "I don't suppose you have a basket and a sort-of picnic basket, do you?"

One elf brought me a basket, which I charmed so that it would hold all the food.

"Will this do, Miss?" asked an elf at my elbow, who held a red-checkered table cloth.

"Excellent. You are all extremely helpful. Thank you."

"We are pleased to help, miss," said the elf who had given me the basket.

I hurried outside with the basket of food. When I reached the forest, Blackie wasn't there.

"Shit," I said and morphed into a wolf. I picked up the basket in my teeth- yuck- and followed Blackie's scent trail through the forest.

I followed the scent for a long time, until I came to a cave where Blackie was stretched out, dozing. He awoke when I entered the cave and immediately began sniffing the basket. I transformed into a human.

"Compliments of the house-elves at Hogwarts. I asked for leftovers, they gave me a feast," I said, spreading out the table cloth, "I know it looks picnic-y, but I figured no one likes dirt on their food. Especially food this good."

Blackie immediately began devouring food. I sat down on the table cloth and watched him eat. After a moment he came over to me and dropped a hunk of bread in my lap.

"Er- no thanks. I can wait until lunch. This is all for you."

He wagged his tail and wolfed down the bread. He looked at me a moment with his yellow eyes. He looked…thoughtful. Suddenly, he trotted out of the cave. I started to get up to see where he'd gone, but just as quickly he returned. I sat back down. This time, he dropped a pretty purple flower in my lap.

"Aw thank you, Blackie," Is aid, scratching behind his ears. He wagged his tail, licked my hand, and went back to eating.

"It's really freaky the way you understand everything I say," I said, absently twirling he purple flower, "…Maybe I'm just insane."

I smiled- according to Lupin, I was insane.

"That reminds me," I said to Blackie, "Stay out of the forest during the full moon. That's seven days away. There's a werewolf in these parts- he's not dangerous, but I think there are others who are. He's my friend though."

Blackie stopped eating and was looking at me curiously, his ears perked up.

"He's a teacher at the school. You can't tell anyone he's a werewolf though or he'll lose his job… as if you could tell anyone anyway! I really am insane," I said, shaking my head, "He's not a bad bloke though. He can't help the way he is. Poor Lupin."

Blackie jumped to his feet like he'd been stung by a bee. He circled the cave a moment, looked at me, and began to eat again. I didn't understand his queer behavior and shrugged it off as just a weird dog thing.

I returned to Hogwarts a short while later. I dropped off the empty basket and the table cloth I had borrowed in the kitchens, thanked the elves again, then headed upstairs to have tea with Lupin.

I found Lupin sitting at his desk. There was a tray on top of his desk which held a teapot, cups, mild, sugar, and cookies. I slipped inside his office, shutting and locking the door behind me. The grindylow in the tank poked its head out of the water to look at me. I swiped a cookie from the tray and walked over to the tank to peer at the grindylow. I took a bite of the cookie.

"What've you been doing all morning?" Lupin inquired curiously.

"Being a wolf in the forest…and feeding strays," I replied, not looking back at him. I stuck one finger in the grindylow tank, curious to see it would do. It grabbed at me suddenly. I jerked my hand away and took a step backwards…right into Lupin, whom I hadn't even heard get up from his chair. He chuckled softly and put his arms around me from behind. He rested his chin on top of my head a moment, then moved my hair aside and kissed my bare neck lightly, which sent a pleasant shiver through me.

"I thought I was just here for tea?" I murmured, smiling.

"I may have to rethink that," he said softly, his breath warm on my skin. I leaned into him and I could feel his erection through the front of his robes. My heart gave a jolt of excitement and nervousness. I turned to face him and all of a sudden, the flames in the fireplace turned green. WE sprang apart.

"Lupin, I want a word," barked Snape's voice from the fireplace.

I felt slightly panicky. Lupin touched my cheek gently and kissed my forehead.

"Don't worry. I'm sure it's nothing to do with you," he assured me, "Wait for me here?"

"Of course," I replied. Lupin smiled and stepped into the still-green flames, then vanished.

I let out a sigh and sat down in his chair.

20 minutes later I had eaten most of the cookies and drank three cups of tea and Lupin still had not returned. I had made up my mind to go and look for him, when the door opened and he walked in. He looked even paler than normal and had an old piece of parchment in his hand.

"What's wrong?" I asked immediately, getting up from his chair so that he could sit down. He flopped into the seat and tossed the parchment on the desk, staring at it in disbelief. I unfolded it- it was blank.

"What's so special about this?" I inquired.

"It's a map."

I turned it over.

"No it's not," I said. He smiled at me wearily and pulled out his wand.

"I solemnly swear," he said hoarsely, "That I am up to no good."

Writing began to appear on the parchment.

_**Mssrs Wormtail, Moony, Padfoot, and Prongs are proud to present 'The Marauder's Map'**_

"That's your handwriting!" I exclaimed, "Moony…"

"My nickname. We called ourselves the Marauders. James was Prongs, Pettigrew was Wormtail, I was Moony, and Padfoot…"

"Sirius Black."

He nodded.

"Filch confiscated the map from us ages ago. He never did figure out how it worked."

"Where did you get it?"

"Harry had it- I haven't the faintest idea how he came by it- and Severus confiscated it from him. Harry's been using it to sneak into Hogsmeade, which is very dangerous. I'm quite disappointed in him, really. Perhaps he is more like James than I thought…"

Lupin trailed off into silence, lost in thought. I picked up the map to examine it. It was a map of Hogwarts, which showed everyone as a dot with their name beside it. I found Lupin's office on the map and sure enough, there were two dots labeled Olivia Cain and Remus Lupin.

"Does Snape know it's a map?"

"Would I have been able to get it from him if he did?"

"Of course not. …Can I have the map?"

"Olivia," he said exasperatedly, "No."

"Just let me borrow it, just for a night," I pleaded, making a puppy-dog face, "I won't sneak out of the castle, just around it."

"…Not tonight. Mischief managed," he said, tapping the map with his wand. It disappeared.

"Fine. Do you still want to have tea?"

"Uhm…"

"It's fine. I'll go…brew potions or something. I'll see you later."

"Sorry," he said quietly. I shrugged, turned, and left the room.

I spent the next four days anxiously awaiting he full moon. Now that I was an Animagus, hanging out with a werewolf was going to be a lot more exciting. The day of the full moon I was full of energy and spent most of my classes fidgeting and spacing out. I wasn't just excited about running through the forest with Lupin- it felt like something big was going to happen, something important.

After dinner, I hurried outside to feed Blackie. He wagged his tail and licked my face.

"Now you have to make yourself scarce, Blackie. It's the full moon. Go to the cave- you should be safe there," I said to him. The dog wagged his tail, barked, and trotted off unto the forest. I headed back up to the castle to wait for Lupin, hoping that Blackie would be long gone by the time it came for him to change.

I found Lupin in the Entrance Hall, waiting for me.

"There you are," he said when I came in.

"Here I am," I said, smiling, "You ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be. …This might actually be fun."

We headed out into the forest together. It didn't take long for the moon to find him and turn him into a werewolf. After he was transformed, I morphed into my wolf form. I regarded him silently a moment. He now smelled predominately wolf, but I could still smell the human in him. I could also understand him on the level I understood other animals. I could tell that he was thirsty and also a little nauseous from transforming. I could sense his curiosity as well as his increased testosterone level and his instinctive desire to mount me. I felt my fur grow hot in embarrassment as I realized that, on an animalistic level, I _wanted _him to fuck me. He grinned at me, his green eyes shinning in amusement as he no doubt sensed my desire.

With a swish of my tail, I motioned for him to follow me through the woods. After a moment I began to run, following my nose towards the river. Lupin ran to catch up with me. I grinned back at him over my shoulder and ran faster, racing him through the trees and underbrush.

We ran around the forest before about an hour before I led him to the river. He crouched to drink. I flew past him and launched myself into the water. It was cold, but it felt good after running for so long. I surfaced and saw Lupin sitting on the bank, watching me, amused. I swam to him, grabbed him by his scruff- he yelped in surprise- and dragged him into the river. He came up coughing. I let out several bark-laughs and he snorted at me, then leapt at me, trying to knock me underwater. I overpowered him, however, and pushed him under.

We played this game for quite a while before heading back towards the castle, jumping, barking, running and howling the whole way. At last we came to a clearing that was close to the grounds of Hogwarts. There we stopped to wait for him to transform back. He flopped down on the ground, tired from our excursions. I lay down beside him, pressing myself close against him. He touched my paw with his and I buried my nose in his fur and closed my eyes.

He sat up when he began to transform, startling me out of my reverie. When he was human again, I changed back as well and took his hand in mine. We walked back up to the castle in silence. When we reached the Entrance Hall, I started to let go of his hand, but he squeezed my hand slightly and gently tugged me in the direction of the Grand Staircase. I followed without question. He tapped me on the head with his wand I became invisible.

He led me up to the office. When he turned to close and lock the door, I removed the Disillusionment Charm and when he turned back around I kissed him hungrily, pinning him to the door.

He seemed pleased and kissed me back. After a moment I began to fumble with the button on his pants. He stopped me with his hands and exhaled heavily. His hands were trembling and he looked down at me, uncertainty in his brown eyes. I met his gaze unfalteringly, no longer uncertain in the least about what I wanted.

I knocked his hands away and continued unbuttoning his pants. Within moments his penis was free. I stopped to admire it, never having seen one before. I began to touch him experimentally, seeing how he reacted. I knew what to do from the Muggle magazines I had read when I explored the town where Ryan lived. I licked him a few times, drawing ragged breaths from him.

"Wait," he said, pulling me up and kissing me, "…This isn't how this should happen."

He kissed me again, putting his arms around me. I pushed my leg between his, grinding myself against him. I wanted him bad now.

"I want you," I whimpered.

He pushed me gently backwards, kissing me, until I was backed against his desk. He put his hands on my waist and lifted me up and set me on the desk. As he kissed me, he slipped his hands beneath my skirt. He slipped my panties to the side and ran his finger over my slit. Slowly, he slid one finger inside of me.

"You're a virgin," he stated when his fingers met the barrier.

"Surprised?"

"Hm…no," he said decisively, "…I'm not going to break it."

"You're…not going to have sex with me?"

"Did I say that?" he asked with a smile, slipping his finger past the barrier, drawing a ragged gasp from me. He ran his thumb over my clit as he pulled his finger out, then slid it back in gently. It felt amazing. He continued, in and out, until I was dripping wet. He pulled his fingers out and concentrated on massaging my clit. He did amazing things with his fingers. He slipped his finger in at the last minute as I went overboard. It was sheer ecstasy- my whole body shook. He didn't withdraw his fingers until after my climax was over and I was left breathing heavily. He brought his wet fingers to his mouth and licked my juices off.

I dropped to my knees in front of him where his erection throbbed with need of release. I took his penis in my mouth. I flicked my tongue around the head. I massaged his balls gently and felt his body stiffen. He grabbed hold of the desk as he came. I caught his seed in my mouth and let it slide down my throat. I felt a little bit like gagging but refrained from doing so. Still I was glad when it was over. I stood and he pulled me to him to kiss me. We were too breathless to kiss for long and I clung to him, pressing my face against his shaking chest. He pressed a kiss on top of my head. I could feel his warm breath on my hair.

We stayed like that until we had caught our breaths and stopped shaking.

"Are you going to let me sleep in your bed tonight?" I asked quietly. He hesitated a moment.

"Yes. There's only a few hours left in the night anyway."

He led me into his room and to the bed.

I lay down and smiled as he crawled in beside me. He kissed me and I cuddled up beside him. He put one arm around me and laced his fingers with mine. I felt warm, comfortable, and satisfied and within minutes was asleep.

We only slept for a few hours before Lupin nudged me awake.

"It's almost time for breakfast," he murmured, kissing my forehead, "You should leave before people start to wake up."

"Mkay," I said groggily, crawling out of his bed.

I rubbed my eyes sleepily as I went into his office. Before I knew it, I was making my way down the Grand Staircase. I didn't see anyone, student or teacher, until I reached the Entrance Hall. There, I found Snape just coming out of the dungeons. We both stopped when we saw each other. I felt a sudden surge of guilt, though I wasn't sure why. He looked me over silently. I wondered how I looked to him and found myself wishing I'd had sense enough to brush my hair before I'd left Lupin's office.

"Please tell me you didn't spend the night with Lupin," he said quietly, his black eyes boring into me.

"Okay. I didn't spend the night with Lupin."

He closed his eyes and exhaled. Without saying anything else, he walked past me into the Great Hall. I started to go in to breakfast, but decided to hurry down and change clothes- and brush my sleep mussed hair- before I did anything else.

**Snape's POV**

Sometimes I hated knowing when people were lying to me. For the next few months, every time I saw Olivia with Lupin, I couldn't help but picture them fucking. My nightmares were always of them, together. I was miserable. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't wait for the school year to end so I didn't have to see them again. Lupin was only supposed to teach for a year and I hoped that the end of the year would also mean the end of their relationship.

About the second week of May I was out for a walk around the grounds one Saturday afternoon. Several students were sitting around, surrounded by books and notes, studying for their exams. Some were in groups, testing each others' knowledge. Others sat alone, their noses buried in books, frowns of concentration on their faces.

I was down by the lake when I noticed Draco Malfoy coming towards me, flanked by his friends Crabbe and Goyle. I'd known their parents, too- Death Eaters, of course, and just as slow and dim-witted as their offspring.

"Professor Snape," Draco said loudly. I stopped and waited for the boy to reach me.

"What is it, Draco?" I asked heavily, wondering what assignment he was trying to smarm his way out of this time.

"The headmaster wants to see you sir. He says it's highly important."

"Thank you, Draco," I said and started back towards the castle, wondering what had happened this time. Another Sirius Black break-in? A dementor attack? A curse? Anything to keep my mind off of Olivia and Lupin.

When I reached Dumbledore's office, I found him sitting at his desk waiting for me with a most grave expression on his face. I knew immediately something bad had happened.

"Have a seat, Severus."

"What happened?" I asked, not sitting, but gripping the back of the empty chair, "I know that look. What's happened?"

Albus sighed and looked at me sadly.

"…Ellen is dead," he said finally.

I felt like someone had punched me in the stomach. I stared at him, too shocked to speak. I took a few steps forward and collapsed in the chair in front of his desk.

"…H-how?" I asked, fighting to keep my voice steady.

"A car wreck. She and a Muggle named Ryan Mathers-"

"Her boyfriend."

"-they were hit by a double-decker bus. Both of them died instantly."

"Jesus," I breathed, "…Have you told Olivia?"

"Not yet. I only just got the letter from the Ministry officials. I thought you should be the first to know."

"And I should be the person to tell her," I said firmly. Dumbledore nodded in silent agreement.

"I'll send for her," he said, getting up and leaving me alone in his office.

While he was gone, I pondered Olivia's fate. I tried to remember if Ellen and I had any living relatives left, but I could think of no one. After a moment, Albus returned and sat down.

"What's going to happen to her?" I inquired, "To Olivia?"

"Well, the Ministry will search records to try and find a relative to take her-"

"There is no one," I interrupted, "We have no family left. …Besides, she is adopted."

"…Then she will be sent to an orphanage."

There was a long silence. From what I knew of Muggle orphanages, they weren't nice places. Albus had once told me that the Dark Lord was brought up in an orphanage.

"Do the authorities know she is adopted?" Albus inquired.

"No. She was so young when Ellen got her, she legally passed her off as her own…"

"You mean when you rescued her. How many people _do _know she is adopted?"

"Myself, Ellen, you and Olivia…and whoever else she has told. She's quite open about it."

"You know, there's only two more years before she is through with Hogwarts and can legally live on her own."

"What's your point?"

"Well if someone were to take her in… it would only be for the Summer, really- she's at Hogwarts the rest of the time. That's what, nine months, at the most?"

"Albus-" I began.

"You are the child's only living relative after all."

"We aren't related!"

"On paper you are. Would you rather her spend the time in an orphanage?"

There was a long silence.

"…I'll think about it," I said finally, "But I'm not making any promises."


	14. Year 5 Chapter 7

**Olivia's POV**

I was in the Common Room with Mari, who was quizzing me on Arithmancy, when a second-year Slytherin girl I had never seen before approached me.

"Are you Olivia Cain?" she asked me.

"Uh, yeah. What of it?"

"Professor Dumbledore wants to see you in his office."

The girl walked away and Mari looked up from the Arithmancy book at me.

"Ooh, Liv's in trouble. What've you done?"

"Nothing…recently."

She laughed but I didn't think it was all that funny.

"Might as well go see what's up," she said, "The headmaster will find you sooner or later and I hear sooner is generally better."

"Alright. At least I won't have to study anymore."

"Oh we'll be finishing when you get back. I need this review as much as you do- I have NEWT exams coming up."

"Oh alright. See you later then."

I made my way out of the dungeons and up the Grand Staircase until I reached Dumbledore's office. I knocked on the door nervously.

"Come in, Miss Cain," said Dumbledore's voice. He sounded very serious. I pushed the door open cautiously to find Dumbledore sitting at his desk with Snape sitting across fro him. My heart gave a jolt- Snape hadn't told Dumbledore about Lupin and I, had he? I knew that he knew, but he had never said anything before. I had blindly trusted him not to. He wouldn't betray my trust…would he?

Snape stood and offered me the seat, but I shook my head.

"Olivia," Snape began, sounding uncertain, "…Something has happened."

"…What do you mean?" I inquired, "What's happened?"

"An accident. A car accident. Your Mother and Ryan…" he trailed off. I stared at him, numb in disbelief.

"They're…dead?"

He nodded helplessly. I felt something akin to nausea rise up inside of me, along with tears. I turned and fled Dumbledore's office. I barely heard when they called after me.

I ran blindly, almost falling on the stairs several times. I guess I was heading for the forest, but I stopped when I heard Lupin's voice call my name. I turned and ran down the corridor where he stood just outside his office. Tears began to pour down my face as I threw myself into his arms. Alarmed, he put his arms around me and pulled me into his office, shutting the door behind us.

"What happened?" he asked me, patting my back.

"Ellen…" I sobbed, but that's all I could manage. He seemed to get it though. He held me close as I sobbed into his chest.

"It's going to be okay, Turtle," he murmured, pressing a kiss on top of my head.

_No_, I thought to myself, still sobbing, _It's really not going to be okay. _

**Snape's POV**

I left Albus' office after Olivia ran out, wondering what I should do. I couldn't go to her and comfort her. She wouldn't want me to. I'd probably screw up anyway and either say or do something wrong.

Then it dawned on me what I could do to comfort her…but I really, _really _didn't want to do it. Still, Olivia needed someone and there was only one person I knew she would want near her. I took a deep breath, set aside my grudges- temporarily, of course- and headed in the direction of Lupin's office.

By the time I reached the floor his office was on, I knew what I was going to do. I was going to walk in, say 'I think Olivia needs you. Her Mother was in an accident.' Then I was going to leave without saying anything else, without even looking at him if I could help it.

When I opened the door to his office however, I found that my efforts were wasted- Olivia was already there, her face buried in his chest while Lupin stroked her hair and kissed her. He noticed me standing three and glared at me over her shoulder. I wasn't concerned about him however- my attention was focused on Olivia, who did seem calmer and had almost stopped crying.

"Oh. Right then. Good," I said, feeling idiotic. I turned on my heel and walked out, letting the door close behind me.

I made my way back to my office in the dungeons. I locked the door, not wanting to be disturbed, then sat at my desk to think about what Albus had said. Should I really step up to become her guardian? Was it the wisest decision? Considering my feelings for her, it was sure to be painful for me… but I had managed it over the Summer _and _during the school year.

Of course I would do it. I had been protecting her since she was born. I wouldn't let it all go to waste now by letting her get sent to some crummy orphanage. She needed me now more than ever.

Then a thought occurred to me- what if Olivia didn't want me to take her in? I shook my head- I'd burn that bridge if I came to it. I'd ask Olivia if she wanted to stay with me…but not now. Definitely not now. I'd give her time to grieve. I had until he end of the school year.

**Olivia's POV**

I spent the rest of May in a depressed daze. I had taken to listening to the radio Ellen and Ryan had given me for Christmas, rather than to spend my time studying. By the time exams rolled around in June, I had to take a Concentration Potion just to keep my mind from wandering on exam day. Brewing potions was the only thing that kept me distracted. I spent increasingly more time silently brewing potions with Snape than I did talking to Lupin.

On the last day of exams, there was a definite air of relief around the castle. History of Magic was my final OWL exams and I left the testing area feeling that I could've done better, but at least if I totally blew it, I wouldn't have to take the subject anymore.

Most everyone was out on the grounds, relaxing or playing Frisbee. Even Mari could be seen down by the lake, laying in the grass. For a moment, I considered joining her. Then, remembering that tonight was the full moon, I headed inside, down to the dungeons to work on the Wolfsbane Potion.

Snape was in the Potions classroom when I found him, sitting at his desk. There were several vials of potions on his desk. One of them looked like green-brown sludge.

"What's this supposed to be?" I asked dully, picking it up to look at it.

"They're all supposed to be Invigoration Draught- less than half of them actually are."

A ghost of a smile flitted across my face.

"Was mine one of them?"

"Of course. I've already graded yours."

"What did I make?"

"You'll have to wait until the end of Summer to find out, like everyone else. Would you like to help me grade?"

"May as well," I replied.

We had gone through half of the remaining potions when Snape spoke.

"I've been postponing asking you this for quite a while, but…" he didn't look up from the potion he was concentrating on, "There is the issue of where you will stay when not at Hogwarts. Since Ellen had no beneficiary, you're likely to be placed in an orphanage…unless…you'd rather come and stay with me."

I studied him silently. He was careful not to look up at me.

"Not much of a choice, is it?" I said dryly, "…I pick you. Or rather- I _don't _pick the orphanage."

"Right," he said and didn't mention it again.

Later, after we had finished grading the potions, we went to work on the Wolfsbane. When it was time to take Lupin a gobletful, Snape handed it to me.

"I'm going with you," he said, following me out, "I wanted a word with Lupin anyway."

I shrugged indifferently and we left the classroom.

We looked for Lupin first in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, which was empty, then his office, which was locked.

"Hold this," I sad with a sigh, handing the smoking goblet to Snape who took it without saying anything. I grasped the string around my neck and pulled a key from beneath my robes. Lupin had given it to me last month, if I needed a place to be alone and he wasn't there. I unlocked the door and opened it.

"You have a key?" Snape asked and I nodded, "That is _so _inappropriate."

I shrugged, knowing he wouldn't make a big deal out of it.

"We can leave the potion on his desk," I said, walking into Lupin's office. Snape followed with the potion. A moment too late, I spotted the Marauder's Map, laying open on Lupin's desk. Snape grabbed it up, pouring over it eagerly. Slowly his expression changed to one of suppressed excitement.

"I was right," he breathed. I peeked over his shoulder at the map just in time to see the dot labeled Remus Lupin disappeared off the map. I recognized it as the path beneath the Whomping Willow.

"What were you right-" I began, but Snape threw down the map and headed for the door.

"Stay here," he said without stopping. Highly annoyed, I sat at Lupin's desk and studied the map. I followed Snape's dot until it disappeared off the edge of the map.

A while later, dots began to come back up the hidden passage, but it was more than just Snape and Lupin. I squinted at the small print beside the cluster of dots- Remus Lupin, Severus Snape, Peter Pettigrew, Ron Weasley, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger…and Sirius Black! I grabbed the map and left Lupin's office. I folded the map and shoved it in my pocket as I ran down the stairs. The gears in my mind were churning- Peter Pettigrew was supposed to be dead. Lupin had told me so.

As I excited the castle, I found that it was nighttime and the full moon was shining over the grounds. Then it hit me- the full moon! I had left the Wolfsbane Potion on Lupin's desk!

The moon made it possible for me to see the lot of them across the grounds. Weasley lay on the grand near Potter and Granger. Snape was floating near them in midair, apparently unconscious. Lupin had already transformed and was fighting madly with a large, black dog- Blackie.

_Sirius Black_, I thought, realizing what an idiot I had been. I morphed into wolf form. As I bounded across the grounds, I became aware of Lupin's madness and bloodlust as well as Blackie's desire to keep the werewolf away from the children and guilt every time he had to bite or scratch Lupin.

Lupin was hurting Blackie more than the other way around. Potter and his friends did nothing to help- they weren't even running away, they just stood there like idiots. Blackie recognized me as I ran, growling, snarling, and snapping at Lupin. The dog acknowledged me with a tail wag and a whimper of thanks. I could tell he was hurt badly and hoped that Lupin hadn't bitten him.

Lupin turned and ran into the forest when he saw me. I was tempted to stay and help Blackie and Snape, but I followed Lupin into the forest instead. It was up to me to keep him away from the castle and the village.

I followed the werewolf deep into the forest. I could pick up on his emotions on an animal level. I could tell that Lupin's mind was not the dominate one. When it got close to being time for him to change back, I led him towards the castle. He transformed before we reached the grounds. It looked like it hurt him more than usual and when it was over and he was human again, he collapsed onto the ground. Alarmed, I morphed back into human and helped him to his feet.

"What happened?" he groaned, "I don't…where's Pettigrew?"

"I don't know. I didn't see him. I mean, I saw him on the map, but when I came out I didn't see him."

"Shit," he said, heading for the castle, "What about Sirius? I remember him fighting with me."

"He was still there when I chased you into the forest. I don't-what-?"

"Have you got the map?" he implored. I pulled it out of my pocket and handed it to him. He unfolded it and poured over it.

"Harry, Ron, and Hermione are in the hospital wing. Dumbledore and Cornelius Fudge are leaving the hospital…"

"What about Snape?" I asked, trying not to sound concerned.

"He's heading for the dungeons," he replied dismissively, "No Sirius…and no Pettigrew. Come on- I have to see Dumbledore immediately- Sirius is innocent."

"Oh. Well that's a relief."

He paused and looked at me queerly.

"I've been feeding a stray dog in the forest. A stray dog I named Blackie," I explained.

"I see…well, yes, Sirius is innocent."

"Then who betrayed the Potters to the Dark Lord?"

"Peter Pettigrew. He told their location to Voldemort. When he found Voldemort had been defeated, he faked his own death and framed Sirius. He's been hiding for twelve years…as Ron Weasley's pet rat."

We were almost to the castle by now.

"What happened in the Shrieking Shack? Did Pettigrew curse Snape?"

"Er, no. As usual, Severus put his brilliant mind to work and drew the wrong conclusion. He thinks I've been helping Sirius sneak into the castle. I believe it was Harry, Ron and Hermione who knocked Severus out- they all three tried to disarm him at once."

I winced slightly. We had reached the Entrance Hall.

"Can I go with you to see the headmaster?" I inquired. He hesitated, then nodded.

"He should know of your role in tonight's events. You kept me from coming back to the castle."

"And I want to know what happened to Blackie- I mean, Sirius."

When we reached the headmaster's office, Lupin knocked on the door.

"Come on it, Remus," said Dumbledore's voice from inside.

Lupin opened the door and went inside. I followed. When the headmaster saw me, he smiled kindly.

"I see you brought Olivia with you," Dumbledore said.

"She was a great help tonight, sir. She kept me away from the castle and the village. You see, I forgot to take-"

"I know all of this. I'm quite interested in hearing your version of tonight's events, Remus. However, I am curious- how was Olivia able to control an untamed werewolf?"

Lupin glanced at me hesitantly. I stepped forward and morphed into wolf form. Dumbledore didn't seem surprised, but smiled.

"I thought so. Now, there is a story that needs telling, Remus. Let us hear it."

Dumbledore and I sat silently while Lupin recounted all that had happened in the Shrieking Shack. He finished with me chasing him into the forest.

"What happened to Sirius?" Lupin asked, "The dementors didn't-?"

Dumbledore held up his hand to silence him. He looked at me.

"Is that the only role you played, Olivia?" he asked me.

"No sir. I've been feeding Sirius in the forest. Only, I didn't know. I thought he was just a stray dog. Can you please tell us what happened to him, sir?"

"Sirius is fine. Unfortunately, most people still think he is guilty, since Pettigrew escaped as well."

I felt relieved. Lupin's face relaxed, though a shadow crossed over it at the mention of Pettigrew's name.

"What're we going to do about Pettigrew?" he asked.

"I'm afraid there is nothing we can do, Remus, except hope that he does not find his old master. Could I have a word with Olivia? Alone, please, Remus?"

"Of course," said Lupin, standing up.

"Wait outside, if you will," Dumbledore said and Lupin nodded and left the room.

Dumbledore didn't say anything for quite a while, just looked at me. Finally he spoke.

"Has Severus discussed your living arrangements with you?"

"…Yes. I'm going to stay with him over the Summer."

"Excellent," he said, seemingly pleased, "How is your Potions work coming along?"

"Er, well, I've created a few potions…they work and I sell them to my classmates," I replied, wondering why he was asking.

"That's good. Very good. You're aspiring to a career in Potions no doubt?"

"Yes sir. It's always been my dream to become a wizard veterinarian. Do you know what a veterinarian is? They only have them in the Muggle World."

"I know what a veterinarian is," he said, smiling.

"I thought you would."

"It is a very good goal. You know there are several careers similar to that in the Wizarding World- there are people who handle different animals. Shops that sell animals…even the Care of Magical Creatures teaching position here at Hogwarts."

"I want to concentrate on helping sick animals. That's what my potions are for…Sirius has helped me a lot, showing me the different plants that animals use for fleas or eat when they are sick."

"Would you be interested in getting a part-time job, possibly at St. Mungo's?"

"Well…yeah."

"Perhaps we can arrange an internship for you next year."

"That'd be great."

"Right. Well, I'm sure you want to get some sleep. It's been a long night. You may return to your dormitory. And send Remus in on your way out."

"Yes sir. Thank you, sir."

I left Dumbledore's office. Lupin was standing in the corridor, leaning against the wall wearily. I smiled at him slightly.

"Goodnight Lupin."

"Night Turtle," he replied, walking past me into Dumbledore's office.

I made my way down to the dungeons. I paused as I passed Snape's office. He had been up when Lupin and I had looked at the Marauder's Map.

I knocked on the door.

"What?" snapped a voice from inside. I pushed the door open nervously. Snape was sitting at his desk. His face was livid, but he looked like he was fighting to control it.

"Are you okay?" I asked cautiously.

"Just peachy," he retorted, "…I caught Sirius Black! I was going to be famous. The Minister himself said Order of Merlin, first class. But Black escaped. _Again_. I just know Potter had something to do with this!"

"But Black is innocent."

He glared at me.

"Of course you'd believe Lupin's tripe. I still say he's been helping Black."

"Dumbledore believes him," I said unhelpfully.

He shot me another look.

"Go to bed," he said, irritated.

"No," I said defiantly, "…I came to make sure you were okay. Last time Is aw you, you were floating in midair."

"Potter and his friends knocked me out."

"I heard. Did they get in trouble?"

"No. …I said Black had Confunded them."

I smiled slightly- he had done another nice thing.

"Are you sure you feel okay though? Three Disarming spells at once…"

"I do have a headache," he admitted, touching his head gingerly. I nodded and disappeared into the store cupboard, emerging a moment later with a simply Sleeping Draught.

"You should drink this and get some sleep," I said to him, setting the potion on the desk, "It's only a few hours until morning."

"Fine," he muttered, not looking at me, "I'll drink it. Will you go away now?"

"Fine," I said and I turned and left the room.

I slept until almost lunchtime the next morning, which is when I was awakened by Mari, who flopped down on my bed.

"Did you know?" she demanded.

"Know what?" I murmured sleepily, blinking up at her.

"That Professor Lupin is a werewolf!" she exclaimed.

I bolted upright, nearly knocking her off the bed.

"Where did you hear that?" I demanded.

"Snape told everyone at breakfast this morning. The whole school knows. He seemed pretty pissed. Did you know?"

"…Yes. I was sworn to secrecy…and so was Snape. Dumbledore's going to be furious," I said, "Where's Lupin?"

"Rumor has it, he's locked himself up in his office."

"I _have _to see him," I said, getting out of bed. I dressed quickly in Muggle clothes- jean shorts and a black t-shirt. I ran a brush through my long red hair, jammed shoes on my feet, and hurried out of the dormitory.

There were people relaxing all around the common Room. Several times I heard the word werewolf, which only made me hurry even more. I threw open the door to the Common Room and rushed out…almost running headfirst into Albus Dumbledore.

"Olivia," he said with a nod of his head, "You've just heard what Severus did, no doubt?"

"Yes. I'll be going to deal with him in a moment," I said angrily, "…but first I have to go see Lupin."

"He's in his office. Packing, I believe."

"Packing?" I repeated in disbelief.

"Yes. He plans to leave. I told him he could stay, but-"

I didn't need to hear more. I ran for the stairs.

"Olivia," Dumbledore said loudly and I was forced to stop and turn around.

"Sir?"

"Come see me in my office after you talk to Remus. _Before _you go see Severus."

"Yes sir," I said and hurried off before he could say anything else.

I knocked on the door of Lupin's office. When he didn't answer, I used the key around my neck to unlock the door. He wasn't in his office, but the door to his bedroom was open and I could hear him moving about. He stuck his head out the door and looked at me. I closed the door behind me.

"You're leaving?" I said, leaning against the door.

"I have to. …What happened last night must never happen again. I could've bitten someone. I could've _killed _someone. Besides, everyone knows now. Can you imagine the parent's reaction?"

"But…I don't want you to go," I said, feeling choked up, "I'll miss you. I…"

I wanted to say 'I love you' but the look on his face stopped me.

"Olivia…you knew this would happen eventually. You said so yourself. It was fun while it lasted, but it was just a fling. Nothing more."

"Just a fling," I repeated, "Right."

His words hurt me, but I fought to keep it from showing.

"Right. Would you like to go with me to release the grindylow?"

"…Sure."

There were several students out on the grounds when Lupin and I levitated the grindylow out to the lake. Most of them squealed and ran away. A few older students jeered at him, but he pretended it didn't bother him. One Slytherin third year even went so far as to throw rocks at him, but slunk out of sight after a few choice threats from me.

When we reached the lake, Lupin dumped the grindylow into the water. We stood there and watched it swim away.

"Will you at least write me occasionally?" I asked softly.

"…I'll try. I don't know where I'm going to be or what I'm going to be doing."

As we walked back to his office I started to feel sick. Sure he would _try _to write… I meant nothing to him. I had allowed myself to trust him…to love him…

"I'm going to go," I said when we reached his office, "I'm supposed to meet with the headmaster to discuss me doing an internship at St. Mungo's."

"Sounds like it'll be a good experience for you."

"…I guess this is goodbye then."

He opened his arms to me and I let him hug me, despite the fact that it felt like my heart was breaking…

"Goodbye Olivia. It's been fun…"

I made my way up the numerous stairs to the headmaster's office, thinking to myself the whole way about what an idiot I had been. The last thing I wanted to do now was see Dumbledore, but I didn't really have a choice. When I knocked on the door he told me to enter. I walked in and sat down in the chair in front of his desk.

"Are you mad at Severus?" he inquired. I thought about it a moment. I wasn't _really _mad at Snape, even though he _had _brought about the early demise of mine and Lupin's relationship, which apparently wasn't as great as I thought it was.

"Somewhat," I said finally, "I don't understand _why _he did it."

"He blames Remus for Black's escape. It was his way of getting revenge."

"It was a stupid thing to do…And juvenile- very juvenile."

"Perhaps so," Dumbledore said with a small, somewhat said smile, "…You see, Severus is a case. A very special case."

"Who isn't?"

"He's had a hard life. Harder than anyone would imagine."

"Will you tell me some? …I want to understand him. I really do. Why he acts the way he does…"

"Well…you do have to live with him…. If I tell you, you must promise never to tell anyone that I told you, especially Severus."

"Of course, sir. I promise," I vowed.

"Now, you know that Severus is half-blood, right? What do you know about his parents?"

"Well his Mother's name was Eileen Prince. She was Ellen's Mother's sister. …his Dad was a Muggle, named Tobias Snape. He didn't like magic. Ellen never talked about him much. I don't think she liked him."

"Eileen was a good woman. She was a good student when she was at Hogwarts and she was as good a mother as she could be. She loved her son. …Tobias _hated _magic and anything to do with it. He was abusive to his wife and probably his son."

"Why didn't Eileen _do _something?" I asked, shocked, "She was a witch."

"Love makes people do crazy things. …When Severus was seventeen, his parents died. His father killed his Mother, then turned the gun on himself."

"Oh my God," I said softly, "…What happened to Snape?"

"He finished school, then moved in with his Death Eater friends. …He was a Death Eater for several years. He was forced to do many terrible things, all of which he later confessed to me when he decided to turn spy."

"Why did he turn spy?"

"I am sworn to secrecy on that part. …If it weren't for the information Severus provided us with, Voldemort probably would have taken control of the Wizarding World _and _the Muggle World. It was done at great personal risk- if Voldemort had so much as suspected him of treachery, he would have been tortured to death. Luckily, Severus is one of the most skilled Occlumens I know."

"He can protect his mind from attacks?" I said, remembering a book I had once read on the subject.

"Yes. He can even make false memories seem true. That is partly why he is so good at controlling, or at least hiding, his emotions.

"The point I'm trying to make is that even after all he has been through- and trust me, there is a _lot _more than what I have told you- even after all of that, he is still good at heart. He does good things. He protects people he cares about…you know what I mean."

I nodded my head slowly, remembering all the times he had been there for me when I was younger. This got me to thinking- why was I so important to him anyway?

"Did Ellen ever tell you _how _she came to adopt you?" Dumbledore inquired.

"Uh, no."

It's quite an intriguing story and proof of what I just said- that Severus is good at heart."

"It has something to do with Snape?"

"Oh yes. As a matter of fact, if it weren't for Severus, you wouldn't be alive today."

He head my full attention now. I waited patiently for him to continue.

"Let's see…how to begin?" he mused, "…Your biological Mother was a woman named Lynn Rahl. She was a Death Eater. One evening she didn't show up when Voldemort called and Severus was sent to find her. The woman lived quite poorly, so he said, with hardly any furniture in a house infested with roaches and rats. When he got there, he found Lynn Rahl dead with you on the floor a few feet away. You'd been born early, but by some miracle were still alive. He could have done several things then- he could have left you there to die. He could have taken you to Lord Voldemort, where you would have most likely been taken in by another Death Eater. He could have even taken you to an orphanage and left you there. But he didn't. He took you home, cleaned you up, and took you to live with his cousin, where he could- and did, I believe- keep an eye on you."

I was silent a moment, thinking over all of this.

"…You sure picked an ideal time to tell me this, didn't you?"

"I believe so, yes," he replied with a small smile.

I waited a moment, then-

"Can I go now?"

"If you wish. But you mustn't let Severus know you know what I told you. I get the feeling he will tell you when he is ready."

"Yes sir."

**Snape's POV**

I was sitting in my office with the worst headache I had ever had in my life. There was a bruise on top of my head and I had the sneaking suspicion that while I was unconscious last night they had purposely hit my head when levitating me out. I hadn't gone down to lunch for the fear of seeing Olivia. I knew she was going to be pissed at me for causing Lupin to leave. In fact, I was surprised she hadn't yet come down to yell at me.

Just then, there was a knock at the door. _Here it goes_, I thought to myself.

"Come in," I said, bracing myself for a storm of fury.

The door opened and Olivia walked in. She didn't look particularly mad…but then again, she always _was _good at controlling her emotions. She shut the door behind her, walked over, and sat in the chair in front of my desk. She said nothing, but was looking at me in a queer sort of way.

"Are you mad at me?" I asked finally.

"…I'm trying not to be," was her response.

"I wouldn't blame you if you were."

"If you knew it was wrong, why did you do it?"

I said nothing, merely shrugged.

"…What happened to your head?" she asked, frowning slightly. I touched the bruise gingerly and winced.

"Guess I hit my head sometime last night."

"Ah. Hm…" she said, then brought me a potion as she had last night, only a different one, "Drink this."

This time I obeyed immediately, without even stopping to see what potion it was. As soon as I downed the potion, the bruise on my head disappeared and my headache was alleviated.

"My headache stopped," I said, surprised, and Olivia smiled, pleased with herself, "I'm starved. I didn't eat lunch."

"I didn't either. Why didn't you go down to lunch?"

"I was asleep," I lied, "Why didn't you? Saying goodbye to your boyfriend?"

I immediately wished I hadn't said it. A hurt look passed over her face fleetingly and I felt a surge of guilt- why couldn't I leave well enough alone?

"Actually I was talking to Dumbledore," she said coolly, "The two of us were having a nice little chat…about you."

She stood to leave.

"Wait- what?" I said blankly.

"Don't worry- I'll be back," she said, grinning as she left my office.

I sat there in silence, wondering what she and Albus had talked about. Had they really talked about me or was she just getting back at me for the dig at Lupin? She knew it would drive me nuts, thinking they had talked about me, that's why she had said it.

When Olivia returned a few minutes later, she was carrying a tray of food and a jug of drink.

"What is that?" I inquired.

"Lunch," she said slowly.

"I meant the drink, genius," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Oh- apple juice. I'm not particularly fond of pumpkin."

She approached my desk and I cleared a space for the tray.

"Cups?" I asked.

"Damn. Knew I was forgetting something."

"No problem," I said and with a wave of my wand, summoned two cups from the kitchen.

We ate together in silence for a while.

"Where did you get this?" I inquired.

"The kitchens, of course."

"Students aren't allowed in the kitchens."

"Have you _seen _the house elves? They love me. Eager to please, that lot."

I shook my head, smiling faintly.

Once we finished lunch, I vanished the plates back to the kitchen where a dozen house elves were no doubt waiting to wash them.

"Were you and Albus really talking about me?" I asked as she started to leave.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" she said, grinning, and left.

**Olivia's POV**

By the end of the school year, all the dementors were gone from around he castle. Apparently a hundred dementors had almost killed Harry Potter near the lake and Dumbledore had had the Minister withdraw the Dementors. On the last day of school I went down to Snape's office after breakfast. He was sitting at his desk, writing something.

"Whatcha doin?" I asked, sitting in my usual seat.

"Writing your class's OWL results to turn into McGonagall. What are you doing?"

"Coming to ask you a question."

"What?"

"Do I have to ride the train?"

"Do you _want _to ride the train?"

"Not particularly."

"Then you may remain here and Floo home with me later."

"Cool. Come find me when you're ready to leave. I'll be outside probably."

"It'll be a couple of hours."

I left the dungeons and found that the students were lining up for the train ride home. I saw Mari and waved goodbye to her. McGonagall was moving down the line, checking off names. She saw me standing off to the side and nodded to me. I supposed she knew about my going to live with Snape, with her being deputy headmistress and all.

I made my way out onto the grounds and down to the lake. With a heavy heart I recalled the times Lupin and I had spent there together. I watched the crowd of students make their way down the path to Hogsmeade to get on the Hogwarts Express. Once they were out of sight, I morphed into my wolf form, where I didn't feel quite so heart-broken.

A few hours later I was rolling in the long soft grass near the Whomping Willow, a simple animalistic pleasure, when I noticed Snape come out the front door of the castle. I hoisted myself up and charged at him on all fours, tail wagging, tongue lolling. He looked alarmed and pulled out his wand, pointing it at me. Then it hit me- Snape didn't know I was an Animagus! I morphed back into human as I ran. A look of shock crossed his face and he immediately lowered his wand.

"Olivia! You're an Animagus?" he asked in disbelief.

"Yep."

"For how long?"

"A few months."

"And you haven't registered?"

"Uh…no."

"Do you know the penalty for not registering?"

"Death?" I said sarcastically.

"May as well be. The penalty is a stint in Azkaban with the dementors."

"So? I can do a Patronus Charm," I said with a shrug.

"Spending so much time around Lupin has made you cocky- he probably encouraged your becoming an illegal Animagus, didn't he?"

I said nothing but shot him a look that made it clear he shouldn't speak to me about Lupin.

"We'll be taking you to get registered within the next few weeks. I'll arrange a date with the Ministry for you to be interviewed so you can be registered. …Are you ready to leave yet?"

"Yeah- well, my things are in the dormitory-"

"I've already sent your stuff ahead to the house."

"Well aren't you efficient? Yes, I suppose I am ready then."

"Good. Come along."

I followed Snape back inside the castle and down to his office, where a fire was already crackling in the fireplace. Snape picked up the sack of Floo powder from the desk and offered it to me first. I took a fistful and tossed it into the fire. The flames turned emerald green and I stepped into the grate.

"Spinner's End," I said clearly. With a whoosh, the flames swirled around me and I left Hogwarts.

I stepped out of the fireplace in the sitting room at Spinner's End where I was joined a moment later by Snape. He wiped his feet to get the ash off before stepping onto the carpet.

He cleared his throat and glanced sideways at me.

"Uhm…your room is still as you left it. …Your stuff should be up there."

"Right. Thanks," I said, looking at the floor. I missed Ellen and the bookshop like crazy… I even missed Ryan a little. I sighed inwardly, put on my brave face, and headed upstairs to begin what was sure to be a long and difficult stay at Spinner's End.

**Author's Note: **Now see, what did I tell you? It's not a LupinxOC after all, is it? Muwahaha. Stick around to see what happens next, now that Olivia is living with Snape. Oh and thanks for all the lovely reviews! J

~LittleReporterGirl


	15. Year 5 Chapter 8

**Snape's POV**

I was down in my office at Hogwarts, eating lunch, when there a knock on my door. This surprised me, as there were few teachers around Hogwarts this early in the Summer.

"Come in," I said, setting aside the sandwich I had been eating. The door opened and Albus walked in, an envelope in his hand.

"An owl brought this for you, Severus," he said, handing it to me, "a ministry owl."

"Thank you, Albus," I said as I opened it. I read it quickly and swore softly.

"Anything wrong?" he asked mildly.

"No. Well, yes. I'm supposed to clean out Ellen's rooms at the bookstore in Diagon Alley. I've been putting it off for months. …I'll have to do it today…and I'll have to take Olivia with me."

"Poor child," he said sympathetically.

"I hate to have to put her through this," I said heavily.

Dumbledore smiled his knowing smile and I cleared my throat and straightened up.

"Still, she is a strong girl," he said.

"That she is," I said, then cleared away my lunch with a wave of my wand, "I have to go now, Albus."

"Of course. Good luck."

"Thanks."

I Floo'd back to the house after Albus had left my office. I stepped out of the fireplace to find Olivia was not in the sitting room, though everything looked significantly cleaner than I had ever seen it. I checked the kitchen- no Olivia there either, but it was also clean. I headed upstairs to check her bedroom. Halfway up the stairs my ears detected the sound of music. It wasn't uncommon for Olivia to play music on her battery-operated stereo, but this wasn't the Muggle rock and roll she usually played- this sounded like the Eagles. I would have dismissed it as just my imagination, but the farther I got up the stairs, the louder it sounded until I was certain that _someone _was playing "Victim of Love".

When I reached the top of the stairs, I found the attic door open. I climbed up to find Olivia sitting at the end of the attic, her back to me, looking at a book. My father's record player was sitting on the floor, the record spinning around and around. As I approached, I saw that the book Olivia was looking at was actually my photo album from my days at Hogwarts. Instantly livid, I grabbed her shoulder. She yelped loudly, whirled around awkwardly, and threw the photo album at me defensively. It hit me rather painfully in the stomach and fell to the ground.

"_What are you doing in my attic?" _I demanded through clenched teeth.

"Oh…I…uhm…" she stammered fearfully. She was cowering before me and looked genuinely afraid. I didn't like seeing her frightened, especially of me. I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself- this was as much her house as it was mine now. Just then the song that was playing ended and the song "Desperado" started to play. I closed my eyes and listened- this had been my parent's song. My mother told me they had danced to it on their wedding day. I remembered hearing her sing it a lot when I was younger, as she washed dishes, did laundry, or cleaned the house. If Tobias wasn't home she would open all the windows and sing at the top of her lungs while she cleaned.

"Snape?" Olivia said cautiously, jolting me back to the present. I opened my eyes and looked down at her.

"Are you mad at me?" she asked concernedly. I exhaled slowly and closed the photo album with my foot. I picked it up and put it back in the box I had been in.

"I'm not mad," I said finally, "Come on."

I extended a hand and helped her to her feet. She followed me to the stairs. I paused long enough to turn off the record player.

"I like that band," Olivia said quietly, more to herself than to me.

"…That record player belonged to my father," I muttered. She said nothing, but looked at me. I shook my head and ushered her down the stairs. When we were on the floor, I waved my wand and the stairs disappeared back into the ceiling.

"Now, _stay out of the attic_, understand?"

She nodded her head.

"…I got a letter from the Ministry today," I said heavily.

"Oh?"

"Yes, uh…we're supposed to clean out the bookstore. I've been putting it off for months now. It must be done."

She said nothing for a moment, then nodded.

"Right. Let's go then," she said. It was hard to tell from her expression if she was upset or not, but I got the feeling she was.

The two of us went downstairs to where the fire was crackling in the fireplace. I took a fistful of Floo Powder and handed her the sack.

"I'll go first," I said to her, "See you in a bit."

I tossed the powder into the fire and stepped into the emerald flames.

"Cain's Books," I said.

The last thing I saw before vanishing was her pretty face. She smiled a small smile and waved. I allowed myself to smile back, then was gone.

A moment later I stepped out into the bookshop and looked around while waiting for Olivia. Someone had already come and taken all the books off the shelves. Olivia stepped out of the fireplace a moment later and looked around.

"Where'd all the books go?" she said.

"Someone came and took them already. The person your Mother rented the shop from I imagine."

"Yeah. …Let's just get this over with. There's only my room and Ellen's. We have some boxes out back- Ellen threw them out there whenever she got new shipments of books. I guess they're still out there, unless someone took those too. …You can clean out her room, I'll clean out mine."

"Okay," I said with a nod.

We went out back and gathered as any boxes as we could carry, then went back inside to begin our tedious task.

**Olivia's POV**

A few hours later, the bookstore I had lived in my entire life was completely void of any personal artifacts. Snape and I used our magic to send the boxes of stuff back to Spinner's End. Now all that was left was the pot of Floo powder Ellen kept on the mantle piece. I took the pot and offered it to Snape. He went first, then I followed, taking the pot of Floo powder with me.

When I appeared in Spinner's End, there were boxes all around the sitting room. I pulled out my wand and levitated all of my stuff up to my room, then came back down.

"What should I do with Ellen's stuff?" I asked Snape dully.

"You can put it in the spare bedroom, if you like," he said from where he sat in the armchair. I nodded and with a flick of my wand, started to levitate the boxes upstairs.

"By the way," he said and I paused, "…Thanks. For cleaning the house."

"You noticed, huh?" I said with a somewhat bitter smile.

"Three decades worth of dust and grime gone, of course I noticed. You did good."

"Well, you're welcome. If I wasn't going stir crazy around here I wouldn't have done it," I said and continued upstairs.

The next morning I woke up earlier than Snape and went downstairs to the kitchen. By the time he came downstairs I had prepared a large breakfast for the both of us. He sat down at the table, rubbing his eyes blearily.

"Coffee?" I asked, pouring him a cup.

"Yes please," he said with a yawn, "…Why are you making breakfast anyway?"

I shrugged and set the cup down in front of him. There came a faint tapping at the window.

"Ah, that'll be the newspaper," Snape said, starting to stand.

"I'll get it," I said, beating him to the chase. He sat back down while I opened the window for the owl. It wasn't the paper, however. It was a sleek-looking black Ministry owl, loaded down with papers. It hopped through the window and fluttered past me to land on the table beside Snape.

"What's all this?" he said, untying the papers. When the owl was free of its burden, I fed it some toast and gave it some water. It hooted gratefully before flying off. I sat at the table to eat, looking curiously over at Snape, who was reading over the papers. Finally he set them aside and continued eating.

"Well?" I said through a mouthful of eggs, "What is it?"

"Don't talk with your mouth full," he reprimanded.

I swallowed and repeated my question.

"It's paperwork," he said.

"What kind of paperwork?"

"Paperwork concerning you. Adoption papers and whatnot. Another thing I've been putting off. Guess I'll go into Hogwarts later than I intended."

After breakfast, Snape went and sat in his chair in the sitting room to fill out the paperwork. I grabbed a book off the shelf and flopped down on the sofa to read. A short while later, Snape looked up at me.

"Your middle name is Turtle?" he said with a slight chuckle.

This struck home for me. I slammed the book shut and chucked it at him.

"Don't _ever _call me that again!" I growled and headed upstairs before he could react.

I lay facedown on my bed for a long time, until I felt certain Snape was gone. I got up slowly and started downstairs. When I approached the sitting room, I heard voices. One was definitely Snape, whereas the other I didn't know. Visitors at Spinner's End were very uncommon and I went quickly down the stairs.

"-come to discuss the land in Ireland which, according to my records, now belongs to you," said the unknown voice.

"I wasn't aware my family had land in Ireland," Snape said.

I hurried into the sitting room.

"It's a farm," I informed him.

"I wasn't aware you had a daughter," said the man who wore Ministry robes.

"He doesn't," I snapped, sitting on the arm of Snape's chair so that I wouldn't have to sit on the couch beside the Ministry man.

"Oh. Well, that's highly inappropriate-"

"No one asked your opinion," Snape said stiffly.

"Do your parents-"

"They're dead, okay?" I said coldly, "He's my cousin and he took me in."

"Oh! Are you-" he paused to shuffle through his papers, "-Olivia Cain?"

"Yeah. So?"

"The land in question belongs, in part, to you when you become of age."

"Which won't be until December. I used to visit that farm when I was little. Ellen used to send half the shop's profits down there. What happened to it?"

"That's the thing. They haven't had enough money to keep the farm going and no one to be in charge- Ellen Cain used to give the orders and with her gone… Well, the most advisable thing to do would be to sell the land, Mr. Snape."

"No way!" I protested loudly. Snape and the Ministry man both frowned at me.

"I'll have to get back to you on that, Mr. Moore," Snape said to him.

"Of course. I'll expect your decision by owl within a week," said the man. Then he stood and Snape stood as well and showed him out.

When Snape came back into the sitting room he sat on the couch with a sigh.

"Snape, _please _don't sell that land," I begged, sitting beside him on the couch. He looked over at me and I put on my sad puppy-dog face which I had used often with Lupin to get my way.

"Well…what do you want to do with it?" he asked, looking away from me.

"Keep it a farm, of course. I could go down there for a few weeks, straighten things out. I'll use the money Ellen left me in the bank…"

He was silent a moment, then looked over at me.

"…You mean _we _shall go down there for a few weeks," he said finally, "And I will take care of the money."

"You mean it?" I asked, elated.

He nodded. I threw my arms around him and kissed his cheek. He cringed and pushed me away.

"If you _ever _do that again, I'll lock you in a dungeon for the rest of your life," he snapped.

"Could be fun," I said with a grin. He scowled at me.

"It's remarks like _that _which make people like _him _say things like 'inappropriate'."

"Could be," I said, still grinning. I headed for the stairs to pack my things.

"Wait, what could be?" Snape asked. I just smiled and continued upstairs.

**Author's Note: **This is where I decided to make the break between Year 5 and Year 6. I'm not really sure why. It just is. Oh and I also wanted to remark that I haven't done any sort of calculations, but I'm sure the Eagles probably wouldn't have been in the same time frame as Snape's childhood, but I really _really _like that song and I might make a future reference back to it, so please no one complain about it. I know it's not the same time frame, but this is fiction and it's _my _fiction so I think I can do that.

Sorry for that little rant. Everyone please read and review. J And stick with the story, it gets good. Don't you want to come back and read what happens when Snape and Liv go to the farm?

~LilReporterGirl


	16. Year 6 Chapter 1

**Snape's POV**

Three days after the visit from the Ministry man, Olivia and I were on our way to the farm in Ireland. There was some debate at first on how we were to get there. It was too far to Floo, Olivia wasn't old enough to Apparate, and she'd sworn off Muggle transportation, for which I didn't blame her, considering Ellen's accident. That left traveling by broom, which I didn't mind…much. I didn't like flying long distances, but for her, I'd have flown over the whole Atlantic Ocean. The farm obviously meant a lot to her. Besides, it'd been ages since I'd been to the countryside.

"I never knew our family owned land in Ireland," I said as we flew above the clouds.

"It belonged to your great-grandparents. They left it to Ellen's mom…your grandmother, who left it to Ellen when I was five."

"Did you go there a lot when you were little?"

"We went there maybe five or six times and stayed for a few weeks. I remember it was fun- riding horses, feeding chickens, milking cows…"

"Milking cows is fun?" I said with a faint smile.

"I like anything to do with animals," she said with a shrug.

We flew mostly in silence. Eventually we came over the ocean and flew down from the clouds. Olivia flew just above the water, letting her feet trail the water. Out of nowhere, a school of dolphins came up and started jumping around her. She flew over to me, looking ecstatic. We both had our trunks tied to our broomsticks. She untied hers now and left it floating near me. She zoomed down on her broomstick, flying around the dolphins as they jumped, even flying under them and rubbing their bellies. She looked positively elated. After a while, the dolphins veered off to the South and Olivia flew back over to me, red-faced, breathless, and smiling. I had taken her trunk and tied it to my broomstick and brushed aside her offer to take it back.

We reached the coast of Ireland before the sun went down, but we still had a long way to go. I was stiff and sore from sitting on the broomstick so long. Even Olivia, who loved flying, looked tired.

"Would you like to stop and stay the night in a hotel?" I asked her.

"I can keep going if you want me to," she said determinedly.

"I wouldn't mind stopping. We can leave in the morning, before the sun comes up."

"Sounds good to me."

We found a small inn in the countryside just as it started to get dark outside. We landed discreetly, not far from it, stashed our broomsticks in some underbrush, and walked to the inn.

"I think I'll wait outside," Olivia said when we reached the front door. I nodded and went inside, leaving her outside with our luggage.

A little old Muggle woman sat at the front desk, watching a little black and white television. She turned to face me as I approached the desk.

"Do you have two rooms for the night?" I inquired.

"I'm afraid we're all full up but one. It's got two beds though," she replied in a heavy Irish accent.

"…Hm…I suppose that will do. …Hold on a moment, I'll be right back."

The woman shrugged and looked back at the television. I went back outside where Olivia was sitting on my trunk.

"They've only one room. Two beds though. We could stay here, or-"

"Sounds fun," she said with what could be considered a flirtatious smile. She'd been doing that a lot lately, purposely it seemed. I frowned slightly and went back inside to pay for the room, not entirely sure this was such a good idea.

We passed a swimming pool on our way to the room, dragging our trunks behind us.

"Awesome," Olivia said with a grin, "I'm totally going for a swim."

"Count me out," I said, shaking my head.

"Figures," she said coolly.

"What?"

"Nothing," she replied, smiling.

Once we reached the room, Olivia tossed her trunk on one of the beds, rummaged through it, then disappeared into the bathroom. I set my trunk at the foot of another bed and sat down. I turned on the small television set and began to flip through the channels curiously. The bathroom door opened a moment later and Olivia breezed past me wearing nothing but a skimpy, green, two-piece bathing suit. Needless to say my attention was drawn completely away from the television.

About half an hour later, I peeked out of the curtain. I could see the pool from our room. I could see Olivia, floating on her back, eyes closed, her long red hair flowing around her. Her perfect, pale figure was illuminated by the lights in the pool. I forced myself away from the window, trying hard not to be completely turned on. I took a minute to compose myself, then stepped outside. She saw me step out and floated into the deep end, looking up at me.

"I'm about to go to sleep. Don't stay out too late," I said to her.

"Okay. Hey Snape? Will you bring me a towel before you go to bed? I forgot to grab one."

"I suppose."

I went back inside, got one of the white hotel towels, and headed down to the pool. Olivia swam to the side of the pool and climbed out as I approached so that when I arrived at the pool I was treated to the sight of her dripping wet. I averted my eyes and handed her the towel. She smiled and laid it over the back of a chair.

"Thanks Snape," she said, "I'll probably be in, in like an hour. I'll try not to wake you if you're asleep."

"Right. Goodnight Olivia," I said, starting back towards the room.

"Goodnight," she called, then dove back into the pool with a splash.

An hour later, I was still laying awake in bed, unable to sleep. I was laying facedown on the bed, trying to keep the image of Olivia dripping wet in her bathing suit out of my head, when the door to the room opened. I lay still, keeping my breathing even, pretending to be asleep. I heard her close the door and lock it, then walk softly to her bed. She put her trunk on the floor, opened it, got something out, then closed it. A moment later, I heard her climb into bed.

I lay there a moment, listening to the silence. Then I heard her shift around. A moment later her breathing became uneven and I could hear the faint creak of bedsprings and I realized what she was doing- she was masturbating! My breath caught in my throat and my cock grew hard. I tried to ignore it at first. Then she began to pant and I couldn't stop myself. I shifted slowly and silently until it was free of my pants and pressing against my stomach.

The pressure around my erection was enough to make me want to cum. I closed my hands around the shaft and began to rub slowly, listening intently to the sound of Olivia pleasuring herself. When she began to moan softly is when I lost it and came all over the sheets, letting the pillow muffle the sound of my quickened breathing.

**Olivia's POV**

I lay there in the dark, massaging my clit, only halfway trying to be quiet. The thought that Snape might wake up and catch me or might even be listening only turned me on even more. It didn't take long to get myself off. When I was finished, I turned on my side so that I was facing Snape's sleeping figure. I made myself comfortable and within minutes, I was fast asleep.

The next morning when I awoke, Snape was already awake and was sitting at the little table in the room, eating breakfast which had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. I crawled out of bed and Snape looked over at me. I'd gone to sleep in my bathing suit with a t-shirt over it.

"That's very inappropriate. Put shorts on," Snape said sharply.

"Is not. I'm wearing a bathing suit. Besides, you can't see anything," I said reasonably. He scowled, but said nothing further as I sat down across from him to eat breakfast.

We left a few hours before the sun came up. I showered first and changed into short jean shorts and a white shirt I had bought in the Muggle village where Ryan had lived. It was skin-tight on me and the shorts were probably shorter than they needed to be. Snape eyed my outfit as we started to leave. He just shook his head and tried not to look at me, but I caught him staring at me when he thought I wasn't looking, especially once we flew through the clouds and got soaked with cool mist and my shirt became plastered to my skin. I didn't mind in the least. I kind of liked that he was looking.

We reached the farm before noon, with me leading the way from memory for the last few miles. I remembered camping with the sons of the man who ran the farm. They'd taught me how to fish and make campfires. Being an animal-lover, I hadn't been too fond of fishing, but I liked being outdoors, walking through the forest of pine trees and camping by the river in the moonlight.

"We should touch down before we reach the farm," I said to Snape as we reached the beginning of the land that belonged to us, "Most of the workers are Muggles."

We landed in the grass and stowed our brooms inside our trunks.

"Ellen always transformed her trunk into a suitcase and mine into a backpack. Easier to carry," I informed him.

"Fine by me," he said, pulling out his wand, "Though you're a bit old for a backpack."

"Of course," I said, also pulling out my wand. I thought about it a moment, then, with a swift flick of my wand, transfigured my heavy trunk into a purple and black suitcase. I lifted it up and glanced at Snape who had just transfigured his trunk into a plain black suitcase.

We walked a little ways and we came upon the white fence that surrounded the pasture.

"We follow this until we come to the gate," I told Snape. He nodded, but he was looking past me, over the pasture.

"What is _that_?"

I looked over the pasture and saw a white mare trotting over the grass.

"That's a horse," I said to Snape, amused, "In fact- it looks like the pony that was born the last time I was here- Moonstar."

"Moonstar?" Snape repeated.

"I named her."

He smirked.

"What? I was seven years old," I said, smiling, "…Hey! I think that actually _is _Moonstar."

The horse slowed as she approached the fence. Sure enough I could see the horse had one blue eye and one brown eye. I clicked my tongue and she nickered. I petted her soft, velvety muzzle and she snuffled my hand.

"I want to ride her up to the house," I said, hiking my foot up on the fence to launch myself over it.

"Uh, I don't _think _so," Snape said, grabbing the back of my t-shirt and pulling me backwards off the fence, "You don't know that horse…have you ever even ridden a horse?"

"Of course. Besides, I helped deliver Moonstar and took care of her when she was a filly and got colic."

"You were only seven years old, weren't you?"

I shrugged.

"I still say no to riding the horse until we've talked to someone."

"Spoil sport," I said, making a face, but consented to follow him.

Eventually we reached the gate over which the name of the farm- Graystone Ranch- was hung. We passed through the gate and Moonstar trotted alongside us as we headed to the main house, a large, old white house with several rooms.

There were a few small houses out back of the main house, where various workers stayed. There were also stables out back where the horses and cows stayed, along with the man who trained the horses, Don Bouvier.

As we approached the house, someone came around back. Someone familiar to me. A man with short white hair and a wrinkled face.

"Uncle Don!" I exclaimed, rushing up to hug him.

"Well if it isn't little Olivia Cain," he said, grinning, "Who've you got with you?"

"This is my cousin, Severus Snape. Snape, this is Don Bouvier. Ellen chose him to train our horses."

"Pleased to meet you," Don said, shaking hands with Snape, then glanced at me, "Is he like you?"

"Yeah," I said with a grin.

"Uh-huh. You should come in the house- the boys'll be dyin to see ya."

Snape hung back as we followed Don up to the house. I hung back as well to talk to him.

"What does he mean 'like you'?" Snape asked me.

"Magic, of course."

"I thought you said they didn't know?"

"Some of them know. Don is one of them. In fact, some of them are Squibs- the woman you're about to meet, for instance."

We entered the house after Don and I was immediately swept into a hug by a brown-haired, brown-eyed woman in her forties who smelled of cookies and food.

"Olivia dear, it's been _ages_. We heard about Ellen. You poor child."

"I'm fine Miss Hudson. This is Snape- my cousin and guardian."

"Any family of Olivia's is family of ours as well," she said to Snape, smiling. Snape looked a little uneasy and overwhelmed.

"Why don't you take your things upstairs, dearie," Miss Hudson said to me, "Then you can come downstairs and have a good, home-cooked meal. Lord knows you look like you need it- both of you."

"Alright. Be down in a sec. Come on, Snape," I said, motioning for him to follow me out.

"This is going to be weird," Snape said with a sigh as he followed me upstairs.

"Just go with it for now. It takes some getting used to. Look on the bright side- your room is next to mine."

"Why should that cheer me up?" he asked dryly.

I just grinned.

"So that Hudson woman is a Squib?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Yep. She used to run an ice-cream shop. Now she manages the household and prepares breakfast, lunch, and dinner for everyone, including the workers."

Our rooms were side by side on the top floor of the house. Mine had always been there and still held relics from my childhood- several Muggle books, many of them about horses; paintings of horses on the walls; and a bedspread with a unicorn on it. I tossed my suitcase on the bed and walked over to the window which faced the back of the house. I could see the stables from my window and about four horses out in the pasture. There were usually more than that- and there were usually cows as well. I spotted the few chickens which roamed freely around the farm, which there were fewer of as well. I could see the garden where the kitchen staff got all their vegetables, which seemed to be the only thing unchanged from my childhood.

Somewhere in the house a loud bell rang. I smiled to myself as people came out of the stables and the few houses out back. There was a knock on the door to my bedroom.

"Olivia," said Snape's voice.

"Come in," I said, turning to face the door as he opened it.

"Did you hear a bell?"

"Yeah, that's the lunch bell. It rings for breakfast and supper, too."

"Oh. You coming down?"

"Yeah," I said, walking across my room. I linked arms with him as we walked downstairs. He only tolerated this a moment before shaking me off.

I just smiled and led him into the dining room, where the long table already sat a dozen people. I found two chairs and Snape pulled my chair out for me before sitting down himself. I glanced at him and smiled as I sat down.

"It can't be little Livvy!" exclaimed a familiar voice.

I whipped towards the door where I saw two familiar boys- Thomas and Matthew, my friends from childhood. Thomas was the older one with blue eyes and long black hair pulled back in a ponytail underneath his cowboy hat. He wore clean blue jeans, a button down shirt, and boots. His younger brother Matthew had green eyes and short brown hair. He wore old torn jeans, a Sublime t-shirt, and tennis shoes.

"Thomas! Matthew!" I exclaimed, jumping up to hug them, "It's been _ages_!"

**Snape's POV**

I watched enviously as the two boys hugged Olivia. The younger of the two's hands wandered a little lower than they should have. I was tempted to say something but held my tongue as Olivia sat back down beside me. Unfortunately, the boys sat down across from us. I raised an eyebrow at Olivia.

"Oh, sorry Snape. These are my friends, Thomas and Matthew," Olivia said to me.

"That your Dad, Livvy?" asked Matthew, the younger one, grinning.

"No!" she said loudly, face red, "He's my cousin- sort of. Guardian, any way."

"Oh yeah. Sorry about Ellen," said Thomas.

"Yeah, sorry," added the other one. Olivia just shrugged uncomfortably. All of these people were starting to annoy me, reminding her about Ellen every five minutes.

"You've really grown up since the last time we saw you, kid," said Thomas, grinning.

"Yeah you went and got all pretty," added Matthew, "How old are you now?"

"Sixteen. How old are you guys?"

"Thomas is nineteen, I'm fifteen," Matthew said.

I sat there in silence while Olivia talked to the boys. I picked at my food, no longer feeling very hungry, as they discussed their lives the past few years. From what I gathered, the boys were brothers. Sons of the man who had been running the farm for Ellen, Myron McIntyre. He'd left when the farm started losing money. Thomas had decided to stay and work on the farm- he'd been put in charge of the stables. With some persuasion, Matthew had managed to convince his Dad to let him stay for the summer. He'd been working one of the stables and got up every morning at 6 a.m. to feed chickens. Not that any of this mattered to me…but Olivia seemed impressed.

"I could only see four horses in the pasture from my window. What happened to the others?" Olivia asked, "Rosebud and Lightning and the others? And the cows?"

"We had to sell them," Matthew said sadly, "We couldn't afford to feed them all. We were lucky to keep Moonstar and Napoleon- our last Thoroughbreds. We're going to breed them come Springtime."

"Have you done any races recently?" she asked.

"Napoleon's too old now," Thomas said, "but we've high hopes from him and Moonstar's colt."

They talked horses for a long time and I grew bored. Eventually people started to leave the table to perform their afternoon duties.

"We've gotta go feed the horses now," Matthew said, "I don't suppose you want to come?"

"Yeah!" she said enthusiastically.

"I suppose I'll go upstairs and unpack," I said somewhat dryly. I stood to leave.

"Oh but I want you to come," Olivia said pleadingly, pulling on my sleeve, "Feeding horses is fun."

The boys looked less than enthused and for a moment I considered doing it, just to annoy them.

"I'll pass," I said coolly, pulling my arm away from her.

I did go upstairs, but soon grew bored in the small room. I wandered around the downstairs for a while. I found myself talking to Miss Hudson, who explained some of the workings of the house to me, though I was only half-listening. She might've been trying to flirt with me, but I was unresponsive.

After a while, I went outside and walked around the grounds. I saw chickens running around the house, including several baby chicks. I'd never seen chickens up close before. I'd never seen horses either- unicorns, Thestrals, centaurs, yes, but never horses- so I was glad there were none out of the stables.

I saw a little garden with some corn, tomatoes, peas and some other plants I couldn't identify. The corns stalks began to rustle suddenly and a little black cat jumped out. The cat stared at me with big yellow eyes.

"Hey kitty," I said quietly, extending my hand. The cat rushed forward and rubbed her fluffy black head against my hand.

"Hey, you're a nice kitty. Usually kitties don't like me," I said to the cat. I felt a little foolish talking to the cat, but it wasn't like there was anyone around to hear me.

I petted the cat and talked to her a few minutes. I was walking back towards the house when one of the stables burst open and Olivia came out on the back of the white horse we had seen earlier, who now had a saddle.

"Hey Snape!" she called loudly and urged the horse towards me at a somewhat alarming speed. She slowed the horse to a halt when she was a few feet from me but I still took a compulsive step backwards.

"Where are you going?" I inquired.

"For a ride. Wanna come? Wait- do you even know how to ride?"

"Of course," I lied, "…but it's been a while. Maybe you could show me."

"Sure. Come on, follow me back to the stable."

I followed Olivia and the horse back into the stables. There were three horses in stalls, eating for the most part. The boys were no where to be seen.

"Where'd your little friends go?" I asked with a faint sneer.

Olivia looked down at me and half-smiled. She climbed down off the horses back.

"They had work to do. Which horse do you want to ride?" she asked me.

"Uh…"

I looked around the stalls and saw one black and white stallion looking at me. I walked over cautiously and extended my hand to the horse, intending to let him sniff me like one would a strange dog. He snuffled me hand, then-

"Ow!" I exclaimed, jerking my hand back, "He _bit _me!"

"Let me see," Olivia said, rushing over, concern in her eyes. She took my hand and examined it closely. I craned my neck to look at my own hand. There was only a little spot of blood, but from this angle I could smell Olivia's raspberry shampoo.

"It's just a little nip," she said to me, "That means he likes you."

"Likes me," I said, glancing at the horse, "Right."

"I could kiss it and make it better," Olivia said and before I could protest she pressed her lips to my palm. Liquid fire shot through me and settled in the pit of my stomach. I jerked my hand away quickly. There was a small spot of blood on her lips, which she licked away with a flick of her pink tongue.

"Don't do that!" I snapped. She just grinned and moved past me- intentionally brushing against me- into the stallion's stall.

Olivia showed me how to saddle the horse and put what she called a bridle on him. Then she opened the stall and let the horse out.

"His name is Blaze," Olivia informed me, "Because of the white mark on his forehead."

I watched carefully as she climbed on Moonstar's back, then copied her and climbed onto the stallion. The saddle was slightly uncomfortable, but I assumed I'd get used to it.

"It's nowhere near as hard as riding a broom," Olivia said, prancing past me on her white horse, "Come on."

I followed Olivia out of the stable. I was a little unsteady on the horse and was learning how to make it move just by watching her. If she noticed, which I hoped she didn't, she didn't mention it. She kept glancing at me and smiling. I tried not to look at her when she did this.

The boys were walking towards the stable when we emerged. Olivia waved at them cheerfully and they waved back half-heartedly. It was easy to see they didn't like me, which didn't bother me in the least, as the feeling was mutual. Olivia trotted over to them, partly to ignore them and partly because my horse seemed to be following hers of his own accord.

"Hey guys," she said brightly, "why don't you saddle up Napoleon and Twilight and come ride with us?"

"Uh, no thanks, Livvy. We've still got work to do," said Thomas, smiling at her but stealing glances at me. His brother was openly studying me.

"Yeah that's right. We just came to get…something," Matthew said.

"Suit yourselves," Olivia said, not put off in the least, "Come on Snape."

"Which trail are you taking?" Thomas asked her.

"The one that takes you down by the river," Olivia replied.

"Keep an eye out for snakes. I found a nest of babies down there last week," Matthew said.

"What'd you do with them?" she asked interestedly.

"Killed 'em o' course," he replied.

"That's horrible!" she declared, "Poor babies!"

The boys glanced at each other and Matthew rolled his eyes.

"We've got work to do. Come on Matt," Thomas said, "Later Livvy."

"Yeah later Livvy. Have _fun_," Matthew said, smirking and looking at me in a way I didn't like. The boys disappeared into the stable and Olivia took off again.

**Author's Note: **thanks for all the reviews, guys! You're all awesome! Stay tuned for more Snape and Liv adventures. In the meantime, you know what to do- read and review! Thanks all!

~LilReporterGirl


	17. Year 6 Chapter 2

**Olivia's POV**

I trotted the horse down the familiar path from my childhood. The trail took us off the farm and through the forest a little ways. I was pleased that Snape had agreed to go with me, even if he wasn't responsive when I swerved my horse towards his playfully or made mildly flirtatious comments. Okay so maybe it was more than _mildly _flirtatious. The truth it, I was crushing on him a bit. He reminded me a little of Lupin…and he was interesting in his own way as well. I knew he cared for me… I just wasn't sure in what way. He didn't actually stop me from flirting.

We followed the trail to the river. I plowed Moonstar through the water to the trail on the other side. Snape and Blaze stopped at the edge of the water.

"I don't think he wants to cross," Snape said anxiously.

"Nonsense. Horses love water. He senses your aversion to it. Urge him forward," I encouraged.

"Come on, horse," Snape said, clicking his tongue.

"His name is Blaze," I insisted.

"Blaze then," Snape said. The horse went forward through the shallow river, throwing water up on either side of him. When they were safely across, we continued down the tail.

The river had drenched my shirt, but the sun was especially warm and I soon dried. The trail came to an end around an apple tree I remembered from my youth.

"Let's let the horses rest before we head back," I said, dismounting. Snape slowed Blaze to a stop and got off awkwardly. I strongly suspected he had never been on a horse before and didn't want me to know. He was a fast learner though, and he watched my movements carefully. I thought it was kinda cute he was trying so hard.

The horses ambled away to graze. I grabbed hold of a low branch and swung myself into the apple tree.

"Olivia, what're you doing?" Snape asked as I easily ascended several branches.

"Climbing a tree, of course," I replied.

"I meant _why_?"

I stopped and sat on a branch. I plucked an apple and tossed it at him. He caught it and looked at it curiously. I tossed several more onto the ground and the horses trotted over to eat. I took a few bites of an apple. Snape tossed his into the horses' pile. I tossed my core to the ground…and realized I couldn't climb down.

"Um…I never was good at climbing down," I said, clinging to a branch and looking down at him.

"Of course you can't climb down," he said, shaking his head, "…Just drop down. I'll catch you."

"I'm not sure I can. I'm scared."

"Why are you scared?"

"I might fall. I seem to recall falling out of this tree when I was little and breaking my arm."

"Do you really think I would let you fall?" he said, "Don't you trust me?"

I considered this a moment.

"Yes. I do trust you," I said and began lowering myself carefully. Snape reached up, put his hands on my waist, and easily lifted me down.

He remained holding my waist a moment, even after my feet were on the ground. Before he let me go I put my arms around him quickly.

"Thank you," I murmured. He said nothing but held me a moment longer. Then he released me and stepped away, scowling slightly. Still he said nothing, but climbed on Blaze.

"We should go. It's getting late," he said. I nodded, climbed on Moonstar's back, and led the way back up the trail.

When we got back to the tables we returned the horses to their stalls and removed their saddles and bridles.

That evening Snape and I ate dinner in the dining room with all the workers. There several people I knew from my childhood, who I introduced to Snape. There were also several new people, who Don introduced to me. After dinner, Snape went upstairs. I started to follow him, but was intercepted by Thomas and Matthew.

"Hey Livvy. Wanna go down to the river tonight?" Matthew asked me.

"A bunch of kids hand out at a spot a few miles away," Thomas added, "They have bonfires and music."

"Sounds fun…but how're you planning on getting there?" I asked.

"Thomas has a truck."

"No way. I don't ride in vehicles…that's how Ellen died," I said quietly.

"How did you and your uber-creepy guardian get here then?" Matthew inquired.

"Magic," I said, wiggling my fingers mysteriously.

Thomas and Matthew knew I was a witch because of all the things I could do when I was little.

"Why don't you _magic _us all to the river then?" Thomas asked.

"It doesn't work like that. Besides, I'm not allowed to use magic in front of Muggles."

"What's a Muggle?" Matthew asked, wrinkling his nose.

"You are," I said with a sigh, "It means non-magic folk."

"Oh."

"Hey," Thomas interrupted, "I have an idea. Come on."

They started for the door. I glanced wistfully over my shoulder at the staircase, hoping Snape wouldn't be mad.

The sun was going down as Thomas and Matt led me down the same trail Snape and I had taken earlier. First Thomas tried to walk with me while Matt led the way, then Matt came back and got on the other side of me, grinning and winking at me. When we reached the river, Thomas walked into the brush near the water.

"It sure is dark," I commented.

"Feel free to hold on to me if you need to," Matt said, putting his arm around me. I suppressed an eye roll, but smiled faintly.

"Ta-da!" said Thomas, dragging something out of the underbrush.

It was a small, two-person boat, complete with oars.

"There's not enough room for us all," I observed.

"Nonsense," said Thomas, grinning, "You can sit in my lap."

"No fair," Matt protested.

"Thomas said it first," I said, smiling. Matt made a 'humph' noise and dragged the boat up on the shore a little farther. Thomas climbed into the back and helped me into the boat. I sat between his legs and he put his arms around me as Matt gave the boat a push and hopped in quickly.

"Hand me one of the oars, Thomas," Matt said. Thomas tried to hand him both, but Matt only took one.

"No way you're getting out of rowing," Matt said.

"Was worth a shot," Thomas said with a chuckle. He rested his head on my shoulder as he began to row.

As we glided through the water, there was no noise except the sound of the water moving, bugs chirping, and owls hooting. I looked up and noticed that the moon was full. A pain shot through my heart as I thought of Lupin. I missed him desperately. I wondered where he was tonight, with no one to make the Wolfsbane for him…hopefully somewhere safe…

I stared up at the moon, then closed my eyes, trying to imagine I was back in the Forbidden Forest, with him…

"Yo Livvy," Matt said, snapping his fingers in front of my face, "Look- we're almost there."

I followed his lone of vision to a spot a ways up the river where I could see a fire flickering through the trees. As we got closer, I could hear the sound of voices and laughter. I shook my head to clear it. I wanted to forget about Lupin for one night and just be a teenager.

Matt rowed us up to the shore and we were immediately surrounded by teenagers. Some pulled our boat up on the shore. Others immediately began shoving beers in our hands. I was introduced to what felt like a million people, none of whose names I remembered. We drank around the bonfire for the longest time. I didn't particularly _like _beer but I liked the feeling it gave me and when one of the kids started passing around a marijuana joint, I didn't say no…

**Snape's POV**

It was almost 3 a.m. when I was awakened by noises in the hallway. Olivia had never come upstairs after dinner and I had fallen asleep waiting to hear her footsteps on the stairs. The noise that awakened me was definitely not just her on the stairs- it sounded like a herd of elephants stumbling in the hallway.

I got up, grabbed my wand off the bedside table, shoved it in my pocket for easy access, and threw open the door. Olivia was in the hallway, being supported by her friends Thomas and Matthew. All three of them were completely drunk.

"Oh shit," said Matt, voice slurred, and released Olivia. The other boy took one look at me, then they both ran, half slipping down the stairs. Olivia stood a moment, wobbling, then fell. I caught her before she hit the ground.

She was barely conscious. She muttered something unintelligible- I thought I caught my name somewhere in there and something that definitely sounded like Lupin.

I helped her to her room, carrying her for the most part. Up close she smelled like cheap beer and marijuana.

"Oh Olivia," I murmured as I lay her down on the bed, "What have you done?"

She looked up at me, green eyes glazed, and blinked.

"Snape?" she muttered, then hung her head over the side of her bed and vomited. I smoothed her hair out of her face and when she was finished puking, I cleaned it up with my wand. She groaned and lay back down on the pillows. Her forehead was sweaty and she felt feverish. I summoned a wet washcloth and wiped her forehead gently. I couldn't help but recall the night I had rescued her as a baby. How fragile and helpless she had seemed…how she seemed now.

"Snape," she murmured again, eyes closed, "…You're too nice to me. You put up with a lot."

"So it would seem," I said with a sigh.

She didn't speak again but I sat with her until she was fast asleep. I covered her with a blanket and stood to leave. I paused, then leaned down to kiss her forehead swiftly before hurriedly leaving her room and closing the door behind me. I cast a detection spell so that if the boys returned, I could come out and curse them into oblivion. Then I returned to my room. Feeling drained, I collapsed onto my bed and within minutes, I was asleep.

The next morning when I awoke, something warm was curled next to me in my bed. Since this wasn't a normal occurrence, I sat up with a start. Beside me, Olivia stirred and groaned.

"What _are _you doing?" I demanded, trying to ignore the fact that she was still pressed comfortably against me.

"Shh," she said, eyes squeezed shut, "I've a massive headache."

"It's called a hangover. Now _why _are you in my bed?"

"I dunno. …God, I think I'm dying," she groaned. She rolled over and buried her face in the pillow. I exhaled slowly and got up. I had a variety of Potions ingredients stowed in my trunk in a special compartment for emergencies. I went over to my trunk and began to mix a simple potion which would cure a hangover.

I walked over and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Drink this," I said to her. Voice of authority. She turned her head, opened one eye, and looked up at me. She blew out a sigh and dragged herself into a sitting position. She took the potion from me and downed it quickly. After a moment, the dark circles under her eyes vanished and some of the color came back to her cheeks.

"How did you get in here without setting off my Detection Charm?"

"I removed it of course. You aren't the only one who can do magic," she said. I noticed for the first time that her wand lay on the bedside table next to mine. I noticed also for the first time that it was made of willow…just as Lily's had been. The sight of our wands together brought back some memories- some good, some not so good.

Olivia moved to sit beside me on the edge of the bed. She rested her head on my shoulder and pressed her leg against mine.

"Thanks for the potion…and I dimly recall you tucking me in last night," she murmured.

"Olivia…stop," I said, moving away from her.

"Why?"

"Because…you aren't making this easy for me."

"What aren't I making easy?" she asked.

"I'm trying to be the good guy here- you're a student and you're underage."

"That didn't stop Lupin, why should it stop you?"

"I'm not like Lupin," I said, eyes narrowing slightly.

She inclined her head in acceptance.

"Well what if I don't _want _you to be the good guy?" she said quietly.

"You're just a kid. You don't know what you want."

She glared at me openly.

"I am _not _a _kid_," she said coolly. I stood up from the bed, opened the door, and pointed.

"Out," I said. She grabbed her wand off the bedside table and thrust it into the waistband of her black shorts.

"We're not done talking about this," she said as she walked out the door.

"Oh I think we are," I said lightly and shut the door behind her.


	18. Year 6 Chapter 3

**Author's Note: **Sorry it's been so long since my last update. My 4GB flashdrive, Holmes, totally spazzed out and I lost a lot of the work that was on there. Luckily, most of it was backed up stuff, but I did lose quite a few pictures. A bit depressing really. BUT my replacement is in the mail and on it's way here from like Illinois or some craziness like that, so all is well, AND it's like an 8 gig or 16 gig I can't remember. Anyway, hope you all had a Merry Christmas. Hope Santa was good to ya'll- he brought me $400 for a Nikon d60. I am most excited. Anywho, here's an update- be excited, it is very very good.

**Olivia's POV**

I went back to my room feeling slightly huffy but also a little pleased that I had discovered he _did _like me. I had climbed out of bed early this morning right after the sun had risen. I'd been completely exhausted from the party and had barely enough energy to change into my pajamas before I made my way to Snape's room. I'd crawled ito his bed without waking him and I'd slept better curled up next to him than I had my entire life.

But he didn't want me. He wanted to be a "good guy". I sat on my bed with a heavy sigh, then cheered up slightly. After all, it couldn't be _that _hard to make him want me.

I spent the rest of the morning plotting. I planned to dress sluttier and flirt more with Thomas and Matthew- things that would drive Snape crazy. I went down to lunch dressed in short jean shorts and a scoopy green shirt that showed off my boobs and made the boys stare. Unfortunately, Snape wasn't there, nor did he appear throughout lunch. No one had seen him so I figured he was upstairs in his room, avoiding me.

After lunch, I took a plate of food upstairs and knocked on his door. I received no reply, which irked me slightly. I tried the door and found it locked, not only with the lock, but also with magic. I pulled out my wand and after a series of spells, the door opened. Snape wasn't there. Annoyed, I left the plate on the desk and began to walk around the house, the yard, looking for him, but he was nowhere to be found.

After abandoning my Snape search, I went for a ride on Moonstar. I saw Matt and Thomas pushing a wheelbarrow filled with hay towards the stables when I was going to put Moonstar up. I trotted over to them.

"Have either of you seen Snape?" I asked, trying not to sound concerned.

"No since we brought you home last night," Thomas said.

"I thought he was going to kill us," Matt added, "He looked livid."

"Yeah. What's _with _him anyway? He's always watching you and if one of us so much as looks at you he shoots us a death glare."

"I dunno what his problem is," I said with a sigh.

"I think he loves you," Thomas said.

"Apparently not. He's vanished."

"A person can't just vanish," Matt said.

"Actually he _can_," I said, "If he's Disapparated I can't follow him. I'm not old enough. Dammit."

"Why would you _want _to follow him?" Thomas asked, "Just stay here and have fun."

"Yeah. Don't worry about that old bat," added Matt.

"Snape isn't an old bat," I quickly defended.

"Well either way he left you, so screw him. How'd you like to come camping with us tonight?" he inquired. I considered this a moment. If Snape came back and found me gone…he'd be pissed.

"Sure," I told the boys brightly, "That sounds like an excellent idea."

**Snape's POV**

I'd Disapparated almost immediately after my heated conversation with Olivia. After some debate on whether I should go home or to Hogwarts, the castle won out. I didn't want to be in the house where so many things would remind me of her. I also didn't want to see Albus so I immediately decided not to let him know I was in the castle…although he probably knew I was there anyway, being the great wizard that he was.

The Apparation took longer than usual because of the distance and when I appeared I was off balance and had a headache. I leaned against the gate a moment to steady myself, then started towards the castle.

I went down to my office, locked the door, and sat down at my desk. I tried to occupy my mind with mindless work- taking stock of ingredients…a job I usually allowed Olivia to do. After five minutes, I gave up trying to keep my mind off of her. _Everything _reminded me of her. Some of the ingredients we had picked together. Others I recalled her using when she worked on her animals potions- some ingredients I wouldn't normally keep in stock if Olivia hadn't found their medicinal uses for animals.

I went and sat back down at my desk with a heavy sigh, wondering if I had done the right thing this morning. Of course I wanted her. I had been trying to resist it for ages. …But now she wanted me too, which only made it so much harder to resist. That's why I had left the farm. Also, I didn't like the way she was throwing herself at me.

I stayed in my office all day. I summoned my supper from the kitchens and ate alone, in silence. I found myself thinking that food here at the castle wasn't as good as the food at the farm- most likely because the vegetables there were homegrown. I didn't particularly _like _the farm itself, but the food there was unbeatable.

A brilliant idea struck me suddenly- an idea that would get me off the farm a lot faster. I finished eating, then headed upstairs to talk to Albus. As I left the dungeons, I saw Filch in the Entrance Hall.

"Professor," Filch aid, approaching me, "There's a boggart that's moved into a trunk in my office. Do you think you could-?"

"I suppose. I'll see to it after I speak with the headmaster."

"Thank you."

I headed upstairs and knocked on Albus' office door.

"Come in," he said pleasantly. I opened the door.

"Severus. I didn't know you were here," he said, "I thought you and Olivia went to Ireland?"

"We did. She's still there. I Apparated back," I replied.

"Why?"

I frowned.

"I don't like it there as much as she does."

"You don't like it _anywhere_."

"Not true. I like…here. Hogwarts."

"Right. So you left Olivia in Ireland. _Alone_?"

The way he said it caused a surge of guilt.

"She's not alone. She has friends there," I muttered, "Jeez. …I have a question for you. A proposition…I'd consider it a favor."

"Ask away."

"The farm we own in Ireland is going through rough times. I would've sold it- the Ministry man recommended it- but Olivia loves the place, she spent a lot of time there when she was little."

"You want to save the farm for her," Albus said with a smile.

"I want to save the stupid farm so I don't have to stay there anymore. …_If _I would get them to agree to plant a lot of vegetables, could you- would you - supply the Hogwarts kitchens with their food?"

Albus was still smiling, his blue eyes twinkling.

"I don't see why not. After all, it's for a good cause."

I stayed and talked technicalities with him for a while- how much food they would need to supply and how much he would pay them- then headed back down to the dungeons. I remembered at the last minute my promise to remove the boggart for Filch, so I headed to his office. He wasn't in his office, but the trunk in the corner was rattling violently. I went into his office and shut the door behind me.

I pulled out my wand and turned to face the rattling trunk. With a wave of my wand, the lid opened. A moment passed, then-

Olivia climbed out, deep gashes on her arms, legs, face, and one particularly nasty one on her stomach that was pouring blood. She took a few steps forward and collapsed. Her body convulsed violently, then lay still. She was dead in a puddle of her own blood, her emerald eyes clouded and unseeing.

I was thoroughly shaken. I couldn't move. I couldn't think. I couldn't breathe. I guess a part of me knew it was a boggart, but I still traumatized. I fled the room, slamming the door shut behind me. I sank to my knees, shaking. I felt nauseous and had to will myself not to vomit.

Once I had regained my composure, I headed up out of the dungeons. I needed some fresh air. I made my way out onto the grounds, where I saw Minerva coming up the path from Hogsmeade. When she reached me she nodded to me.

"Good evening Severus," she said, "I thought you were out of the country?"

"I was. I returned to speak with Albus. …Filch told me there was a boggart in his office. I am somewhat in a hurry…do you think you could handle it for me?"

"Certainly, I can handle one little boggart," she replied lightly.

"…Thank you."

Once she had gone into the castle, I walked out to the lake and sat on the shore, looking out over the water. The boggart had really shaken me and I was sorely tempted to return to the farm tonight. I considered it a moment, but eventually decided against it. I only hoped that Olivia wouldn't go and do anything stupid. Hopefully she had learned her lesson from her experience last night.

**Olivia's POV**

I spent the night camping by the river with Matt and Thomas, although we didn't do much sleeping. They had beer and the three of us got drunk and had a good time. I fooled around with Thomas in the river, but didn't do anything serious. I kept my mind off Snape for the most part. When we went back up to the house the next morning, he still had not returned. Tired and annoyed I went into his room rather than mine. His bed had not been slept in. With a heavy sigh I flopped onto his bed and buried my face in his pillow, which smelled of him, even though he'd only slept there one night. I hugged the other pillow to me and fell asleep wishing he was there with me.

I only slept a few hours and when I awoke it was almost noon and Snape still wasn't back. I was starting to think maybe he wasn't going to come back at all. What if he just left me in Ireland for good?

He had left his suitcase, however, which seemed like a good incentive for him to come back…possibly. I was overcome with curiosity suddenly and a desire to some something mischievous.

I locked the door and sat down on the floor beside his trunk. I opened it and began to rummage through his things. He had a few sets of clothes, a toothbrush, some parchment and quills, and even a special compartment for Potions ingredients.

Hidden in the bottom of his trunk was a framed photograph of Lily Evans, which I carefully put back exactly how I had found it after staring at her a moment. I felt a stab of jealousy. She was dead and Snape wanted her more than he wanted me. She sort of looked like me too. I contemplates dyeing my hair black or letting the blonde0 which I hated- grow back out. It wasn't fair- I looked so much like her and he didn't want me.

Then I felt guilty. It wasn't fair to Snape. I imagined it wasn't easy for him- I was practically a clone of his dead girlfriend.

I closed the lid of the trunk and stood up. I made my way to the window absently and looked outside. My heart jumped when I saw Snape standing outside, deep in conversation with Don. I watched him a moment, then hurried downstairs and outside before he could disappear again.

He saw me coming and finished his conversation with Don, then headed for the house. I felt annoyed with him still and shot him my bitch look.

"Are you mad at me?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Good."

He continued inside and I followed.

"You could've left a note," I said irritably, "Told me you were leaving. Something."

"I don't report everything I do to you," he replied coolly, "By the way- I saved your stupid farm."

"It's not a stupid farm!" I flared, then paused, "…You did what now?"

"I've arranged for the farm to be used to grow the food for Hogwarts. Albus already agreed and he offered to pay a lot more than I would have asked for. I've just finished talking to Don and he thinks it's a brilliant idea. I've put him in charge of arranging it all. Do you think he is capable of it?"

"Yeah," I said, surprised, "…Thanks."

"I just want to get off this farm. …What did you do while I was gone?"

"I went camping."

"With who?"

"Thomas and Matt," I replied, a faint blush creeping into my cheeks. He just shook his head.

"…How much longer do you want to stay here?" he asked me.

"We can leave whenever you want to leave," I said amiably.

That evening after dinner I went for a walk around the farm, thinking that Snape was probably going to want to leave tomorrow. Don and Thomas were out in the pasture, deciding which parts could be sectioned off for growing purposes. I wandered around the empty stables. When I was little they'd been filled with horses and cows. Now all that was left were empty stalls, dust, and spider webs. There was a loft where hay was usually kept with a ladder leading up to it. I heard movement from up in the loft. Curious, I began to climb the ladder, thinking it was probably a rat or a bat. I poked my head up over the ledge and looked around. There were a few bales of hay against the wall and in the shadows- several pairs of gleaming eyes.

"Here mouse, mouse," I said. There was a fast movement in the shadows and a hissing noise. Disconcerted, I scrambled down the ladder. The bottom step broke under my weight and I fell the last two feet and landed on my butt. I looked up in time to see four kittens of varying colors bounding down the ladder. A little black one with light blue eyes ran up and sat right in my lap.

"Well! You're not a mouse at all, are you?" I said, tickling the kitten's ears. The other kittens darted in and out of my reach, not allowing me to touch them. Eventually they went outside, but the little black kitten stayed with me. I played with her a while, then stood and went outside. The kitten followed and when I went inside, she followed me there, too. I wandered into the living room, the kitten following, to find Snape sitting on one of the couches.

The kitten immediately jumped into his lap and meowed loudly.

"It's you again, is it?" Snape said, looking at the cat and smiling. He scratched her ears and I could hear her purring from across the room. I went and sat beside him on the couch, my leg touching his.

"You know this kitten?" I asked him.

"I saw her the first day we were here. She was outside by one of the barn-things."

"Stables," I corrected with a faint smile, "She followed me inside."

The cat curled up in Snape's lap, purring still. I reached over to stroke her soft head.

"Hey Snape?" I asked quietly.

"Hm?"

"I don't suppose…well…Ellen never let me have a pet and…"

"You want to keep the cat?"

"Yes."

He was silent a moment, then inclined his head.

"Fine. You may keep the cat."

"Really?" I asked excitedly.

"Yeah, sure. Why not."

"Yes! Snape, you're awesome!" I said, hugging him. He frowned and moved the kitten from his lap to mine, then stood and left the room. I grinned and kissed the kitten on top of her fluffy black head.

**Snape's POV**

I waited three days before telling Olivia I was ready to leave, since I knew she liked it so much on the farm. She didn't seem too upset. In fact she barely looked up from playing with her kitten- who she had named Mouse- when I told her to be packed and ready to leave the next morning.

"Okay Snape," was all she said.

She disappeared after dinner that night, along with Thomas and Matt. I found Mouse cured up on my pillow when I went to bed at eleven, which I took to mean Olivia had not returned. I shoo'd the cat off my pillow. She went to the foot of the bed and curled up there.

I awoke at almost 2 a.m. to Mouse mewing loudly in my ear.

"Go away, Mouse," I groaned tiredly, pushing her away.

She meowed again and jumped to the floor. I was almost asleep again when she began to scratch at the door.

"Jesus," I breathed and heaved myself out of bed, "Okay kitty."

I opened the door and Mouse raced out. I peered into the darkness and saw Olivia trudging upstairs.

"Are you just now getting home?" I asked, frowning, "Where have you been?"

"Don't worry- I haven't been out with a boy or anything," she said, kneeling to greet Mouse.

"Wh-I…Why would I care?" I spluttered, "I just wanted to make sure you weren't doing anything stupid. Again."

"Well that's nice," she huffed, "For you information Mr. 'I don't care', I was out in the woods."

"Doing what?"

"_Running_," she said with emphasis, then morphed into her Animagus wolf form. I hated that her Animagus form was a wolf. It only served to remind me of her affair with Lupin. I had hoped that since they weren't together anymore, it might change, along with her Patronus, but apparently it had not. Did that mean she still loved him?

"That's nice. You had better be ready to leave in the morning- sleep or no sleep," I said bluntly. She morphed back into human.

"I will be. I'm already packed," she said lightly, "Only…How are we going to take Mouse with us?"

"You'll have to figure that one out on your own," I said, heading back into my room.

Early the next morning, before anyone on the farm was awake, I got Olivia up.

"Meet me outside in five minutes," I said as she and the kitten both yawned.

"Okay."

Five minutes later I was outside with my suitcase waiting for her. When she finally came out- about ten minutes later- she was dressed in shorts and a hooded sweatshirt. Sticking out of the neck of her sweatshirt was the little black kitten.

"You sure that's going to work?" I asked, nodding to the kitten as we mounted our broomsticks.

"Sure it will. Mouse in my Familiar," she said simply. I looked at her as we ascended into the air.

"Your _what_?"

"My Familiar… Muggles believe that every with has a creature to assist her with magic and it's usually a cat."

"You know a lot about Muggles."

"Well I _do _take Muggle Studies, you know?"

"Yes, I know. You're the only Slytherin who takes Muggle Studies."

"Is that bad?"

"No, of course not. You're just…different."

In the amount of time it took us to fly home, the kitten went from inside her short, to her parked, to her arms, and eventually it sat on the front of her on the broomstick.

It grew hotter as the day wore on and Olivia took off the sweatshirt. The shirt she was wearing was cut so low it should hardly be considered a shirt. I noticed she was watching for me to react to the shirt. I just rolled my eyes and flew faster.

We reached home a little after dark. We could have stopped for the night at a hotel, but I decided against it. I highly doubted Olivia would stay in her own bed this time. So we arrived home at a little past eleven, exhausted from the long journey. We landed in the backyard and went in through the back door, which led into the kitchen. Olivia put the cat down on the floor and it began to explore the house.

"If it uses the bathroom in the house, you're cleaning it up," I warned her.

"I know. And Mouse is a _she _not an _it_."

"Sure," I said indifferently, "And _she _better not get pregnant."

"She's just a baby, Snape."

"I mean in the future."

"Okay. …Hey- maybe I can create a potion that stops animals from getting pregnant. They have those for witches and Muggle woman have something similar, right?"

"I'm not discussing contraceptives with you right now, Olivia," I said, shaking my head, "I'm exhausted."

Then I headed upstairs to get some sleep, glad that everything was back to normal.


	19. Year 6 Chapter 4

**Olivia's POV**

The rest of July passed uneventfully. I spent every moment with Mouse, who followed me _everywhere _and even slept in my bed. I had her litter box trained within a week of bringing her home. I was most grateful that I could use magic to clean it out once a week.

Towards the beginning of August, my friend Mari Pirelli sent me an owl with a letter. When I first heard the owl I was on the floor under the kitchen table with Mouse, feeding her bacon and encouraging her to play with Snape's shoelaces. Snape was eating breakfast, reading the newspaper, and tolerated us with an eye-rolling attitude.

"There's an owl at the window," Snape said absently, still reading the paper.

"I'm not your slave," I said, then grinned mischievously, "..Although I _could _be, if you wanted."

Snape made a scoffing noise and turned the page of the newspaper. I sighed and got out from under the table. I wiped my hands off and opened the window. The owl hopped inside and I removed the letter, which I found was addressed to me. Curious, I leaned against the counter to read.

_Livvy,_

_Guess what- my sister got tickets to the Quidditch World Cup! I'm sure you've heard about it- It's Ireland versus Bulgaria. We have an extra ticket. If Snape let's go, we could meet you in Diagon Alley on Friday. The match is on Monday night. My sister says we can stay with her until then. Write me back and let me know what Snape says._

_ Mar__ì_

"Hey Snape," I said, folding the letter and tucking it in my pocket, "Can I meet Mari in Diagon Alley tomorrow? She got tickets to the Quidditch World Cup and wants me to go."

"No," he said without looking at me.

"No? What do you mean _no_? I'm sixteen years old! Besides, you always say you don't care about me."

"I don't mean no you can't go to the stupid match," he said coolly, "I mean you can't go Friday."

"Oh. Well why not?"

"Because it's been arranged for you to meet with the Head of the Department of Magical Creatures that day so you can become a _registered _Animagus."

"Oh. You never told me that."

He shrugged.

"Well what time is the meeting?" I asked.

"1 p.m."

"Well I can meet Mari _after _that. It can't possibly take all day."

"Whatever. Do what you want, girl."

"You're so _mean_. Why can't you be nice?"

"I have my moments," he said lightly, "After all, I'm going along with you. I could make you do it yourself."

Snape left for Hogwarts shortly after breakfast. I headed upstairs to my room and wrote a reply to Mari, telling her I'd meet her in front of Gringotts at 3:00. I had just sent the letter of when Mouse jumped onto my desk and batted my quill onto the floor.

"Hey…I don't think I can take you with me," I said, picking her up. She meowed inquisitively.

"I suppose Snape might take care of you for a few days. …He's gonna act like a pain in the butt about it though."

I spent the day preparing to leave. I packed some clothes, cleaned my room, cleaned out Mouse's litter box, and filled her food and water dishes. Then I cleaned the house for the hell of it. After that it was only 3 p.m. so I walked into town to the store, with Mouse following close behind me.

Two hours later, when Snape came home from Hogwarts, I had a full meal on the table- ham, macaroni and cheese casserole, mashed potatoes, and I'd even bought a blueberry pie for dessert. When Snape Apparated into the living room- scaring the hell out of me I might add- he inhaled deeply.

"You cooked," he said, sounding surprised.

"I did."

"You haven't done that in ages."

I shrugged indifferently and went into the kitchen to set the table. Snape followed me and as I began to set out the plates, he took the dishes from me. He nudged me to the side and began to set the table wordlessly. While he did that, I got out spoons to dole out the macaroni and potatoes.

"Could you get the ham out of the over for me?" I asked when he had set the table, "It's rather heavy."

He nodded and opened the over door. The mouth-watering smell of ham billowed forth into the kitchen. He grabbed the pot holders and carefully removed the ham from the oven. I grabbed a knife but he took that from me as well.

"You know how to slice a ham?" I inquired somewhat doubtfully.

"Yes. Now sit," he said, pointing to a chair. I sat and watched, somewhat fascinated, as Snape sliced the ham and proceeded to serve us both. Mouse, who had been sitting faithfully by my feet, got up and began to wind herself around his ankles. Snape glanced down at her, then fixed a third plate, with smaller portions, and set it on the floor for Mouse. I smiled fondly as he sat down.

"What?" he said sullenly.

"Nothing," I replied, "Nothing at all."

After we finished eating, I cleared away the dishes and with a wave of my wand, started them to washing themselves. Snape was still sitting at the kitchen table, reading the Evening Prophet.

"So I've hit a little snag in my plan," I said, sitting back down.

"Oh?" he said, looking at me over the paper.

"A little furry snag named Mouse," I said, picking her up off the floor and setting her on my lap, "I cant' take her with me."

He frowned and set the paper aside.

"Is this why you cooked dinner?" he inquired.

"Well it may be a contributing factor," I said, smiling slightly.

"Hm," he said with a faint smile, "…Okay, I'll do it."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Wow. I thought I'd have to get down on my knees and beg or something," I said then, realizing what I might have unintentionally implied, laughed. Snape just rolled his eyes and resumed reading the paper.

The next morning I awoke at almost 10:00 to the smell of bacon frying downstairs. Mouse was sitting at the bedroom door, waiting to be let out, her little pink nose twitching.

"Is that _Snape _cooking?" I said, getting up. Mouse meowed.

Of course it was Snape cooking. Who else would it be? I hurried downstairs wearing my short black shorts and the red tank top I had slept in. Mouse raced down the stairs ahead of me.

When we reached the kitchen, I found Snape standing at the stove, making eggs. There was bacon already cooked to the side.

"Well there's something you don't see everyday," I commented.

"Oh shut up," he said shortly. I sat down at the table, smiling. Mouse began to rub against his leg. He glanced down, then swiftly dropped a piece of bacon on the floor, probably hoping I wouldn't notice.

"You're nothing but a big softie, Severus Snape," I said as he brought me a plate of food.

"If you say things like that I'm going to stop being nice to you," he retorted, "…I'm making an effort here."

"Okay, okay. Sorry," I said, still smiling.

**Snape's POV**

I wasn't entirely sure why I had cooked breakfast for Olivia. She called me soft and even though I had snapped at her, she smiled at me throughout breakfast. It felt weird…but it was kind of nice.

We Flood's to the Ministry at 12:30 so Olivia could meet the head of the Department of Magical Creatures and be registered as an Animagus. We had our wands checked by an elderly man working at a desk up front, who also directed us to the floor where Olivia's meeting would take place.

"The man you are meeting is named Chester Meyon. He's the head of his department. I expect you to be respectful and-"

"I can be respectful," she snorted indignantly, "You've seen me around Dumbledore, haven't you?"

We found the office with Chester Meyon's name on it and knocked. We were told to enter. I opened the door and allowed Olivia to walk through. The man sitting at the desk had light brown skin, a goatee, and was bald. He wore robes of dark green.

"You must be Miss Cain," he said, standing to shake hands with her, then with me, "Her guardian, I presume?"

"Professor Severus Snape," I said, shaking his hand.

"Very good, very good. Have a seat, both of you. Now, I just have a few questions for Miss Cain…"

An hour later, the meeting was over. Olivia had spent most of the time in her wolf form, nodding or shaking her head in response to Meyon's questions. I'd spent most of the time pretending I wasn't there. When we went downstairs to the main floor of the Ministry building, we used the fireplaces to Floo to Diagon Alley.

"We still have an hour before I have to meet Mari in front of Gringott's," Olivia said when we stepped out of the fireplace into the Leaky Cauldron.

"Well," I said slowly, "I suppose we could have lunch."

"Sure…but not here, kay?" she added in a whisper.

I nodded my head in agreement- the Leaky Cauldron wasn't the best place in the world to eat.

Olivia followed me into the back and through the hidden passage into Diagon Alley. We walked along the street, heading for a little diner called Sam's where I had eaten a few times before. Olivia paused suddenly and I found that we were outside of Ellen's bookstore. The windows were boarded up and the sign that had once hung over the door was gone. Olivia sighed quietly and looked down at the ground. I cursed myself inwardly for not remembering that the bookstore was on the way to the diner. I put a hand on her shoulder comfortingly. She leaned into me a moment, then pulled away and continued walking.

When we reached the diner, Olivia and I went to the booth in the back and sat down. A waitress came and took our order.

"Are you excited about going to the World Cup?" I asked Olivia after the waitress had left, just to make conversation.

"Yeah. Ireland is my favorite Quidditch team. Mari likes Bulgaria better though."

We talked about Quidditch until the waitress returned with our food. We ate in silence for the most part, then I paid the bill and we left. We started towards Gringott's and Olivia spotted her friend waiting for her.

"Well I guess this is goodbye," she said to me.

"I suppose so. How long will you be gone?"

"Until Wednesday, at the least. You'll take good care of Mouse, won't you?"

"Of course. …Goodbye Olivia."

"Bye."

She hugged me quickly, then hurried off before I could reprimand her.

I watched from a distance as Olivia ran up to her friend. They hugged and Mari introduced her to the girl standing beside her, who I recognized as her older sister, Connie Pirelli. She had been at Hogwarts some years ago and the only reason I really remembered her was because she transferred from Hogwarts to Beauxbatons in her fifth year to study abroad. I watched the three girls walk away into the crowd of people.

I walked around Diagon Alley alone for a while, not sure what I wanted to do. I stopped in the Apothecary and bought some Potion ingredients. After that I decided I may as well go home and Disapparated with a pop, right in the middle of the street.

When I appeared in my sitting room, I sat down on the couch, somewhat overwhelmed by the absence and the silence. She'd only lived with me a few months and already it felt strange not having her around. Mouse appeared out of nowhere and leapt into my lap.

"Well at least you are still here," I said with a sigh.

The cat let out a sad meow and lay down in my lap, her whiskers drooping slightly.

"You miss her, too, huh?" I murmured, then shook my head, "I didn't say that. I don't miss her. In fact, I'm glad she's gone."

The cat looked up at me and blinked. Even _she _knew I was lying to myself.

**Olivia's POV**

Mari's sister Connie was a few years older than us- she was 24 to be exact- and she spoke English with bits of French thrown in. I didn't understand everything she said, but it sounded cool.

"so where do you live, Connie?" I asked curiously as we headed to the Leaky Cauldron to Floo to her house.

"Mari did not tell you? I live in Paris," she replied, pronouncing it the French way.

"No way! _The _Paris?"

"The one and only," she replied, smiling.

"That's why I came to get you a few days _before _the match- so we can go shopping!" Mari said excitedly, "_And _you can do your back-to-school shopping in France."

"Excellent! I definitely need new clothes as well. Not to mention we have dress-robes on our list this year."

"Dress robes?" Mari said, frowning slightly, "We never needed dress robes."

"Ah, it is all part of the surprise that's going to take place at Hogwarts this year," Connie said, smiling mysteriously.

"What surprise? What is it?" Mari asked eagerly.

"I cannot tell you. Or at least, I cannot tell Olivia. She has not graduated yet. But it will be something most spectacular."

"Man! I wish I hadn't graduated!" Mari said glumly.

The house Connie lived in eastern Paris and had two halves to it. Connie owned one half and she told us the other half was owned by an old rich couple who came over from America in the springtime. Mari had a room upstairs which was done up in Slytherin colors. She led me up to it and let me dump my suitcase in her room. I flopped on her soft, comfy bed.

"I love France," I said with a pleased sigh.

After two days of straight shopping, I was more than ready for the World Cup. Mari and I were both so psyched we could hardly sleep on Sunday night. We lay awake in bed, giggling and talking. I told her about Snape and about the farm.

"So he actually rode a horse?" she asked, amused.

"Yeah. _And _I think he lied about having ridden one before, just to appease me."

"So he likes you?"

"I think so. But he doesn't want to do anything about it. He think's it is bad. I've been trying to flirt, but he is resistant."

"Nonsense," she snorted, "every man has a breaking point. You need to catch him when he is weak."

"That doesn't sound nice."

"Oh it would be nice. What you need to do is take that sexy black lingerie you bought today- you know, the dress thing- and sneak into his room while he is asleep and-"

"Okay Mari," I said, turning over so that my back was to her, "I'm going to sleep now."

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea. We have to get up before 7 a.m. so we can catch the Portkey."

"I've never traveled by Portkey before."

"It's not too bad but I prefer Apparation. It's quicker and I wouldn't have to get up as early."

"So why don't you just Apparate?"

"Well it's not like I can leave you to travel by Portkey alone," she replied, sounding amused. I kicked her half-heartedly and settled myself in for a few hours of sleep.

Early the next morning Connie came in carrying a candle.

"Rise and shine, girls," she said brightly, "Come downstairs and have breakfast."

"I don't wanna," Mari whined, then rolled over and knocked me- unintentionally, I'm sure- out of bed.

"Ow!" I exclaimed, now fully awake, "Son of a bitch, Mari."

"What?" she muttered sleepily, dragging herself into a sitting position, "What're you doing on the floor, Liv?"

"You _knocked _me onto the floor," I said, getting up and stretching.

"Really?"

"Yes really!"

"Oh. Sorry."

We trudged downstairs to the kitchen where Connie had a breakfast of pancakes and breakfast waiting for us. The pancakes were amazing and absolutely perfect. Connie offered to show me how to cook them sometime.

Even after downing several cups of coffee, Mari and I were still yawning as we followed Connie towards the outskirts of town. The sun was just starting to come up. Behind us, the city of Paris was beginning to stir. Muggle Frenchmen were off to work. Tourists were stirring in their hotel rooms.

The sun was high in the sky and we had been walking along the countryside for hours.

"Are you _sure _we're going the right way, sis?" Mari asked, panting slightly. We were both sweating in the hot morning sun. We were both carrying backpacks on our backs, but Connie carried the largest one and she was hardly sweating at all.

"Of course. We're almost there. Look- see those trees over there-" she pointed to some trees ahead that appeared to be the beginnings of a forest, "-that's where we're heading. There's a clearing where we're meeting the Wizarding families that live around here."

"Are there a lot of them?" I asked curiously, "I've never come across French kids at Hogwarts."

"They go to a different school- Beauxbatons," Connie said, checking her watch, "Let's pick up the pace, kids. We're a little late."

"Connie transferred to Beauxbatons her fifth year at Hogwarts," Mari told me as we walked, "She graduated from there."

When we reached the clearing, there were several people already there, crowded around an old football. There was an elderly couple in their sixties who stood together. There was a young child about six years old, running around the clearing. Her parents stood near the football. A teenage girl with short blonde hair, blue eyes, and freckles sat on the ground near the football. As we approached, the little girl ran over to the teen and grabbed her arm. The little girl whispered something in French. The teen laughed and made a reply. Then she looked up at us and smiled.

"_Bonjour_," she said, standing to greet us, "_Parlez vous Francais?"_

Mari and I both shook our heads.

"I thought not," the girl said in heavily accented English, "I have not seen you around school before. You go to Hogwarts?"

"Yes," Mari replied, "Actually, I just graduated. My name is Mari Pirelli. This is my sister Connie. She went to Beauxbatons a few years."

"_Bonjour_," Connie said, smiling at her.

"My name is Olivia," I said, not wanting to be left out.

"My name is Brandi and this is _ma mére_, Robin, _mon pére_, Pierre, _et ma petite soeur_, Angel. They speak only French."

The little girl, Angel, waved at me, her blue eyes wide and round. I smiled kindly, thinking to myself that she was a cute kid. She had a mess of blonde curls. She smiled back at me with a smile that could melt your heart. I wondered to myself if her smile could melt Snape's heart.

"What's that?" Mari asked curiously, pointing to a wire that went from Brandi's pocket to one of her ears. Brandi pulled out a small black square device that had several buttons. I recognized it to be an mp3 player. I had had limited exposure to them in the Muggle stores I browsed.

"This is an mp3 player. It plays music. I _love _Muggle music," Brandi said. She pulled the bud out of her ear and turned the volume up so we could somewhat hear the music that was playing.

"I like Muggle music, too. I have a stereo and a few CDs I got for Christmas last year," I said to her.

"Have you ever heard of the band She Wants Revenge?"

"I don't think so, no."

"They're _awesome_," she said, beginning to rummage through her pack, "I have a CD somewhere you could borrow."

"30 seconds," Connie said suddenly, her eyes on her watch, "Everyone grab the football. A finger will do."

We crowded around the football. Mari on one side of me and Brandi on the other. Angel was holding her Mother's hand, looking curiously at the bottle. All of a sudden, I was jerked forward into a swirling tunnel of light. My finger felt like it was super-glued to the football. I couldn't have pulled away if I had wanted.

Then suddenly my feet hit the ground. Mari stumbled into me, knocking both me and Brandi to the ground. Everyone else was still standing, even Angel, though she clung desperately to her mother's leg and looked somewhat pale.

"11:00 from Canterbury Forest," said a man who wore a tweed suit with thigh-length galoshes. His companion wore a kilt and poncho and had a list in his hand.

"Your Portkey, please," said the man in the kilt. Connie handed him the football and he tossed it into a box.

"Names, please," he said looking at his list.

"McAdams," said the old man who hadn't spoken until now. After being told which way to go- Connie translates, as it appeared the elderly couple only spoke French- the man and his wife walked off. Brandi gave her family's name- Butler- and was told where to go.

"I hope I see you again," she called back to us, waving over her shoulder.

The man in the kilt told us where to go and Mari and I followed Connie away, up a hill, towards the edge of the forest. As we got over the top of the hill we saw what appeared to be hundreds of tents pitched in the meadow. Some looked as if they could belong to Muggles, which is what we were supposed to do…others were somewhat outrages, sporting doors, windows, and the odd chimney.

"They don't know much about Muggles, do they?" I said to Mari.

Eventually we came to a spot where a post with the name Pirelli was stuck in the ground. There were tents on either side of us, but no one was out and about. Connie tossed her pack on the ground and began to rummage through it.

"Want us to help you set up the tent?" Mari asked, sounding as if she really didn't want to.

"I can handle it," Connie assured us, "You girls can go walk around if you like, but remember- _no magic_."

"Okay. Come on, Olivia," Mari said, grabbing my arm and dragging me away.

There had to have been thousands of witches and wizards coming to the World Cup and the sea of tents seemed endless. We'd been talking about an hour when we spotted Brandi and her family sitting outside of a tent that looked perfectly normal. She waved us over.

"Your tent certainly looks like a Muggle tent," I commented as we approached.

"Of course. We live in a Muggle village- we even have a television. We've got one inside the tent, too," she said brightly, "What are you two doing?"

"Walking around," Mari said with a shrug, "Care to join us?"

"Sure."

Brandi said something in rapid French to her parents, then followed us away.

The three of us walked through the sea of tents. We waved at people from school and laughed at how preposterous some of the tents looked. There was one large tent in particular that looked like a palace, which had several live peacocks tethered in front of it.

"Poor things," I said sympathetically and headed off in the direction of the palace tent.

"Uh, Olivia? What are you doing?" Mari asked as she and Brandi hurried to catch up with me.

"Rescuing the peacocks, of course!" I declared.

"Why does that _not _sound like a good idea?"

"No one's asking you to follow me," I retorted passionately.

"Of _course _I'm going to follow you," she said, rolling her eyes and grinning.

As we got closer to the tent, the door opened and two people walked out. One was Draco Malfoy, a fourth-year boy Snape was fond of, but who I disliked. The other was Lucius Malfoy, Draco's father and Snape's friend. I had met him before when he had visited Snape at Hogwarts. He was one of the governors of the school or something like that. Lucius saw me and walked towards us, Draco strutting along behind him.

"Cain, isn't it?" Lucius said to me.

"Yes sir," I said, forcing politeness. I didn't like Draco or his father. Draco was mostly just an idiot and Lucius…I didn't like the way his cold grey eyes moved over my body. It made me wish I'd worn more clothes.

"You live with Severus now, don't you?" he asked.

"Yes sir. He's my cousin."

I saw surprise register on Draco's face, but he said nothing.

"Is Severus here?" Lucius asked.

"No. I'm with friends."

"Ah," he said, his eyes flicking from Brandi to Mari, then back to me, "Too bad. We could use him."

The Lucius continued past me without another word, Draco following, his nose in the air.

"What does that mean he could 'use him'?" I snorted once the Malfoys were out of earshot.

"Who cares?" Mari said, her eyes on Lucius retreating figure, "That man is sexy!"

"I wouldn't mind spending some time with his son," Brandi remarked, staring after Draco.

"Draco is an idiot and Lucius…ugh," I said with a shudder.

"I would've thought you would like Lucius," Mari said to me, "He reminds me of Snape."

"Are you kidding? That creeper is nothing like Snape. …His eyes have no soul. They're cruel and full of hate. …Snape has kind eyes. Sometimes. He acts tough, but he has a soft side. I've seen it. I doubt anything about Malfoy is soft."

"Well I wouldn't want him to be soft," Mari said with a naughty grin.

"Who is Snape?" Brandi asked curiously.

"My guardian. He's sort of my cousin. His cousin adopted me when I was a baby. She died last year and Snape took me in," I explained, "He's also Potions Master at Hogwarts and I'm his apprentice."

"And you like him?" she inquired.

"…Yes."

"At Beauxbatons, all our teachers are female. Our headmistress Madam Maxime, does not trust us. …It's a drag, not having any boys."

"You should transfer to Hogwarts," Mari said jokingly, "Only don't steal Snape."

"No one can steal Snape. _I _can't even get him," I said with a sigh.

"You can," Mari insisted, "You just have to try harder. Like I said, every man has a breaking point."

"She's right, you know?" Brandi added. I rolled my eyes and continued to the peacocks.

There were seven magnificent peacocks tethered at the entrance of the tent. They were walking around rather depressedly, their heads down. Some were molting. I cursed Malfoy's cruelty to animals and discreetly slipped out my wand.

"_Diffindo_," I said quietly, pointing at the nearest rope.

"Livvy! Connie said no magic," Mari hissed.

The peacock noticed the rope being cut and as soon as he was free he took off into the woods. I quickly began to free the rest of them. Mari and Brandi helped and once allt he birds were free, we took off.

Apparently not all the birds headed for the forest. As the three of us slipped away from the scene, we heard people screaming behind us.

"Just keep walking, "Mari said to me, "It's not like they're going to kill them."

"Are you sure?" I asked, glancing over my shoulder.

"Yes," she said firmly.

"Fine," I said sullenly.

We continued walking. About ten minutes later, we spotted Lucius Malfoy talking with a man with a moustache who wore a suit. We got closer to listen.

"-know you are a private guest of the Minister, but you really cannot have peacocks here, Lucius. They are drawing far too much attention and it seems you can't control them," the man said to me.

"That's Bartemius Crouch," Mari whispered, nudging me, "The Head of International Magical Cooperation. He helped Connie get transferred to Beauxbatons."

"I don't know what happened, Crouch. One minute they were secure, the next they were running amok. I suspect it was teenagers, pulling a prank," Lucius said.

"Either way, we have far too much going on to be chasing down your birds."

"I'll take care of it, Mr. Crouch. In the meantime, I'll make a generous donation to St. Mungo's," Lucius said, pulling out a small pouch filled with Galleons.

"Right, well…" Crouch said, and he accepted the gold, "As long as you take responsibility for them."

I scoffed and continued walking. Mari glanced longingly over her shoulder at Lucius, but she and Brandi followed.

"Of course Malfoy can _buy _his way out of trouble," I said scathingly.

"I love a man with money," Mari gushed, "He could buy his way _into _trouble with me."

"Mari," I said, half-exasperated, half-amused, "Sometimes I wonder about you."

By the late afternoon, the Ministry seemed to have given up trying to suppress the obvious displays of magic. Salesman were now Apparating every few feet with a variety of magical merchandise. I bought a green shamrock that repeated the names of the Irish players. Mari bought a red and black Bulgarian scarf with a lion sewn on it. Brandi purchased a miniature lion that raced along the palm of her hand and roared impressively.

"_C'est magnifique_," she exclaimed.

As it grew dark, a gong rang out somewhere and lights appeared in the trees, lighting the path to the stadium.

'We've got to find Connie," Mari said anxiously, "She has our tickets."

"And I must find _ma famille_. _Au revoir_," she said to us.

"Bye," we replied in unison.

We hurried through the crowd of people and eventually found Connie standing outside what appeared to be a plain Muggle tent.

"Ready?" she asked us.

"Yeah!" Mari exclaimed.

"Then let's go!"

**Snape's POV**

I had been feeling antsy all day and I couldn't explain it. It wasn't the World Cup- or at least, I didn't think it was. It was just a feeling…like something was going to happen. In addition, the Dark Mark that had been burned into my forearm long ago seemed to be tingling. The Mark had faded after the Dark Lord was vanquished and it was still faded, so I assumed the tingle was a product of my imagination.

I summoned dinner from Hogwarts and allowed Mouse to sit on the table to eat with me. I gave her a plate of chicken and a goblet filled with milk.

"You can't tell Olivia I let you sit on the table, ok?" I said o the cat as we ate. She looked at me and meowed.

_I must be going nutty, _I thought to myself, _Talking to a cat. Hmph._

That night when I went to bed, Mouse was curled up at the foot of my bed. I had been letting her sleep in my room. The first night Olivia had been away, I had awoken to find Mouse yowling pathetically outside of her bedroom door.

My unease kept me awake for a long time. I tossed and turned and when I finally went to sleep it was to find wretched dreams waiting for me. Muggles were screaming- there were flames everywhere. People were running, panic-stricken…people were being trampled.

I awoke in a cold sweat and immediately scrambled out of bed. I just _knew _Olivia was in danger- I _felt _it. Mouse was no longer asleep, but was pacing the floor, tail twitching, meowing as I scrambled to get dressed. Finally I just grabbed my wand and magicked my clothes on. I looked down at the frantic cat.

"I'll bring her back," I promised.

Then I Disapparated with a pop.

The field I appeared in was an exact replica of my dream, so much that I couldn't help but wonder if maybe I hadn't woken up at all. Thousands of people were running around in fear while a select few in masks laughed cruelly and shot off spells.

"Death Eaters. Fuck," I said to myself, "Olivia! Olivia!"

I waded through the terrorized crowd, calling her name, fighting to remain calm.

_Be reasonable, _I thought to myself, _Olivia is a brilliant girl. …She'd head for the safety of the trees._

I took off towards the nearest patch of forest.

I was about to head into the dark of the forest when I heard her scream. I whipped around to see Olivia being held by one of the Death Eaters. I recognized the mask and shoes as belonging to Lucius Malfoy. Olivia was struggling against him wildly.

"You _pig_!" she screamed as he nuzzled her neck and whispered something in her ear, "Let me _go_!"

She morphed suddenly into her wolf form, slipping out of his grasp. Instead of running, she turned back to him and with a snarl she lunged at him, jaws snapping. Lucius let out a cruel, mirthless laugh, and waved his wand. Olivia flew backwards with a yelp. She landed on the ground and became human again, but she did not move.

"I'll teach you to respect your elders," Lucius said coldly, grabbing her by her arm.

"No!" I shouted and blasted him off his feet without consciously firing a spell. I fell to my knees beside Olivia. A faint trickle of blood came from her mouth and she had a nasty cut on the back of her head, but she was still alive.

"Good of you to join us, Severus," Lucius said as he got to his feet, disheveled. My blood was still boiling. I leapt to my feet and held my wand to his throat.

"What are you playing at, Lucius? What were you going to do…rape her?" I demanded, hardly able to make myself say the words.

"Now Severus," he said, hands raised, "She's fair game."

"No she is bloody well _not fair game_!" I growled, sparks shooting out of the end of my wand, causing Lucius to step backwards, "She is _mine_! I claim her."

"Okay, okay. No need to get angry, Severus. You can have her. There are plenty more."

Lucius took off through the crowd. I carefully lifted Olivia up and carried her towards the forest. Her friend Mari appeared beside me suddenly.

"What happened?" she asked, eyes wide with fright.

I intended not to answer her at first- after all, I had trusted her with my girl and where was _she _when Olivia had been struggling with Lucius?

Then I heard more screams, this time coming from the forest. I looked up to see the Dark Mark shining in the sky above the forest. The identical Mark on my arm seemed to twinge again. I pulled Olivia closer to me and looked down at her friend, who was staring at the Mark in the sky with a somewhat vacant expression.

"Can you Apparate?" I asked her.

"Wha- yes, but-"

"Grab hold of Olivia and follow me."

Mari grabbed her arm and I Disapparated, taking the girls with me.

We appeared in the living room of my house. I lay Olivia gently on the couch and knelt beside her. Using my wand, I examined her, trying to figure out what Lucius had done. I performed a few healing spells, but still she didn't stir.

"Is she going to be okay?" Mari asked anxiously. I glanced at her- I had almost forgotten she was there.

"Go to the kitchen- there is a door there that leads to a Potions room. Get me some Dittany."

She disappeared and reappeared a few moments later with a clump of Fluxweed.

"Idiot girl!" I barked, "You've brought the wrong thing! One would think you hadn't learned anything at Hogwarts!"

She gave a frightened start and hurried back into the kitchen. This time she brought me Dittany.

I sent Mari back and forth to retrieve different herbs for me. A few times she brought me the wrong thing and I had to send her back. Her ignorance frustrated me. At long last, Olivia's eyelids fluttered open.

"You're alive!" Mari exclaimed. Olivia turned her head to look at her friend.

"Where am I?" she asked.

"Snape's house, I think," the girl replied.

"Awesome," Olivia groaned and closed her eyes.

"She's okay now, right?" Mari asked me.

"Yes. She needs rest."

I started to clear away the leftover ingredients and things, leaving Olivia sleeping on the couch. Mari followed me into the kitchen.

"What was that skull-thing in the sky?" she asked me.

I ignored her, but threw away the useless ingredients and returned the usable ones to the potions room. Then I returned to the sink and washed my hands, all the while ignoring Mari and her incessant questions.

"…Where were _you _while she was being attacked?" I demanded finally, the question that had been burning in my mind ever since Mari showed up.

"We got separated in the crowd. She took off to save some kid and I lost her."

"You were supposed to be looking out for her," I snapped, "She's just a kid herself."

"I…" she said meekly, avoiding my gaze.

"Go," I said, eyes narrowed.

"Go…where?" she asked blankly.

"How should I know? Go home. Go to your sister's house. Go back to the Cup and get killed by Death Eaters for all I care," I growled.

"Death Eaters?"

"Supporters of the Dark Lord. Now go."

"Okay, okay. Jeez. Olivia was wrong about you," she muttered, preparing to Disapparate.

"Wait," I said, knowing I was going to regret it, "What does that mean?"

"Well she likes you- you know that, don't you?"

"Duh."

"She said you weren't always mean…and something about 'kind eyes'," she said with an eye roll, "She was adamant about that part."

"Hmph. You can leave now."

"Fine," she said and Disapparated with a pop.

I went back into the sitting room where Olivia was still asleep on the couch. The combination of exhaustion and medicine assured me she wouldn't wake for some time. Still, she would be more comfortable upstairs, in her own bed. I lifted her gently and slowly carried her upstairs. She didn't weigh much so I had no trouble carrying her. Her fingers grasped the front of my roves but other than that she gave no sign of consciousness.

I lay her gently in her bed, uncurled her fingers from my robes, and sat down on the edge of the bed with a sigh. I looked down at Olivia's sleeping figure. She still had a trickle of blood on her chin. I wiped it away, thinking that this happened too much. She got hurt too much. Whenever I wasn't around. I _hated _when she got hurt…but I didn't know what to do about it.

I sat with her a while longer, then went to my room. When I opened the door, Mouse rushed out. I'd left the door to Olivia's room cracked and the cat hurried inside. I watched as she leapt onto the bed and curled up beside Olivia.


	20. Year 6 Chapter 5

**Olivia's POV**

I was deep in a very pleasant dream- I was lying in a bed of satin with Snape holding me. He had his face buried in my hair. I could feel his arms around me. I felt safe and completely worry-free. I was at peace with the world.

I awoke quite suddenly and the good feeling dissipated. I was alone in my own bed- unless you counted Mouse, who was curled up asleep near my head. I had a wretched headache and was having trouble remembering exactly what had happened. I remembered the World Cup- Ireland had won, but Krum got the snitch. Mari had moaned the whole way back to the tent about what an idiot Krum was for ending the game. We had crawled into the tent, which was magicked so that the inside held two sets of bunk beds, a couch, and a small kitchen. I'd called dibs on the top bunk and we had gone to sleep. After that…nothing. How had I gotten back home?

"Repressing memories," I said aloud, "that's never a good sign."

Mouse raised her head, looked at me, yawned, and lay back down.

"Right. Guess I'll find Snape then," I said.

I got out of bed with a groan. My muscles were stiff and sore. There was a small amount of tried blood on my t-shirt, which alarmed me. I left my room and was about to knock on Snape's door when I heard the shower going in the bathroom. I stopped outside the bathroom door. I grinned mischievously to myself and tried the doorknob. It was locked. I could have unlocked it but decided not to push my luck.

I made my way downstairs to the kitchen. It was almost 11 a.m.. There was a copy of the _Morning Prophet _on the kitchen table and the headline caught my eye- _Scenes of Terror at the Quidditch World Cup_. I grabbed the paper. The picture underneath was of a glowing figure in the sky- a skull with a snake coming out of its mouth. The Dark Mark.

I scanned the article quickly. The article said 'dark wizards' which, I assumed, meant Death Eaters. I was starting to remember now. People in hooded cloaks and masks, firing spells. There'd been a big group of them levitating a family of Muggles and laughing. Mari and I had run into the forest, but at the last minute I had seen Brandi's little sister Angel standing frightened and alone while people ran and screamed around her. I had run from the forest and grabbed her up. I cast around and spotted her Mother frantically attempting to question people in French.

"Madame Butler!" I called as I hurried towards her. She saw me coming and opened her arms to receive the child.

"Merci!" she cried over her shoulder as she ran towards the forest. I was about to run for the forest myself when someone grabbed me from behind. I attempted to turn and fire a hex, but the person held me tight. He grabbed my wrist and, by applying pressure to my tendon, forced me to drop my wand.

"You may be Snape's cousin," said a familiar, silky voice in my ear, "But you're still fair game."

He pressed himself against me and I could feel his erection pressing against my back.

"Shall we find a tent?" he asked, kissing my neck, "Or should I just fuck you right here?"

Someone touched my shoulder suddenly and with a start I dropped the paper.

"Sorry," Snape said, walking past me into the kitchen, "…Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I think so. …I got away before anything bad happened, right?"

"Yes."

"You saved me."

It was a statement, not a question, but he answered anyway.

"Yes. …Your friend Mari helped."

"Is she okay?"

"Of course. I sent her home. …She was irritating," he said with a brief smile. He pulled out his wand and tapped the kitchen table. Food appeared.

"…I want to shower before I eat," I said to him, "I feel…ick."

He nodded silently and I headed upstairs.

The hot water felt wonderful and I stayed in the shower until my skin was all prune-y. I wrapped a towel around me and scurried across the hall to my room. Most of my good clothes were still in my backpack, which had been left behind. I hoped Connie or Mari had gone back to get it.

I dressed in a pair of gray sweat pants and a white tank top, then headed back downstairs with Mouse following me. There was still food on the kitchen table _and _it was still warm. Mouse immediately jumped onto the table. Snape scowled at her. I quickly grabbed her and put her on the floor, then dropped a piece of chicken down to her.

"How did you know to come save me?" I asked Snape as I picked at my food. He didn't reply.

I let my mind wander as I ate, since Snape didn't appear to be in the mood for talking. Of course I couldn't help but think of Lucius Malfoy.

"I'm glad I freed his stupid peacocks," I muttered to myself.

"What?" Snape asked somewhat interestedly.

"Nothing."

There was a sudden tap at the window and I saw one of the Hogwarts owls sitting outside of the window. Snape got up and retrieved the letter. He scanned it quickly.

"Damn. Dumbledore wants to see me. …Are you going to be alright by yourself?" he asked.

"I'm almost seventeen, Snape. I think I'll be fine."

"It seems like every time I turn my back you're off drinking and doing drugs or getting yourself in danger. I should make you go with me."

He didn't make me go, however- I was somewhat disappointed- and I soon found myself alone in the house. I was contemplating going upstairs and taking a nap when I spotted something out the window. I hurried and opened the window as a large owl flew in. It had my backpack clutched in its talons and a note in its beak. I relieved the owl of its burden and sat down to read the note.

_Livvy, _

_ Hope you are feeling okay. I would have stayed longer but Snape sort of chased me away. He just showed up out of nowhere and saved you. Good thing though. I think he blames me for you getting hurt. He seemed very angry. I'm really sorry for what happened and I hope YOU don't think it's my fault. On the plus side, I definitely think Snape likes you, though I why you'd want to go with such an insufferable prick, I don't know. _

_ Love, _

_ Mari_

I rolled my eyes and tucked the note into the pocket of my sweatpants. It was not unbelievable that Snape would blame her, but it _was _wrong of him. I'd have to talk to him about it when he got home.

I went upstairs and sat on my bed. I began to rummage through all the cute clothes I had bought in France, including some sexy lingerie that I was saving for special occasions. There was a black nightie that Mari clamed was "sure to do Snape in". She was insistent on that fact that he wanted me and just didn't realize it yet. I was beginning to think she was right. Why else would he continue to save my life?

I took a nap and got up just in time for dinner. I thought about cooking, but didn't really feel like it so I summoned food from Hogwarts, like Snape usually did. Mouse and I ate, then went and sat on the front step. I leaned my back against the front door and watched the puffy white clouds floating across the steadily darkening sky. I watched the sky until he sun completely disappeared and it was dark out, then I went inside.

I went back upstairs to my room where the black nightie lay on the bed. I was considering wearing it and ambushing Snape when he came home.

_Well, _I thought to myself, _It couldn't hurt. After all, it isn't as if he'll kick me out._

The worst thing would be that it would be awkward if he turned me down…then again, he already knew I liked him and things were already awkward.

I was still upstairs fifteen minutes later when I heard the front door open and close. I smiled as I listened to him go through the downstairs rooms.

"Olivia?" he called.

"I'm upstairs."

I stood in the doorway to my room wearing nothing but the little black number, determined and slightly nervous. Snape came up he stairs and stopped abruptly when he saw me standing in the doorway, illuminated by the green lights in my room. He stared at me silently a moment, his eyes anywhere but my face. Finally, he turned away from me and headed for his room.

"Wait! Sn-_Severus_!" I said, going after him. It was the first time I had ever called him by his first name. He stopped and turned back to face me, though he averted his eyes.

"What do you want from me, Olivia?" he asked, voice strained.

"Sex," I replied simply.

"Why?"

I touched his face gently- he flinched but didn't pull away. I turned his face so that he had to look at me.

"That's a stupid question," I said, gazing back into the depths of his black eyes. I pressed myself against him and pressed my lips to his. He took a step backwards.

"I want you," I said to him, "Whether it's just two weeks or two years or just tonight."

"Olivia…we've already had this conversation," he said, his voice an octave lower than usual, "I want you to stop throwing yourself at me. It's degrading to yourself. Like a Muggle whore."

Stung by his words, I took a step backwards.

"Olivia…" he said heavily. I shook my head, turned, and went into my room, shutting the door behind me.

"I give up," I said to Mouse.

**Snape's POV**

I hoped I had done the right thing in telling Olivia how I really felt. It _was _whorish- her skimpy black nightie, her excessive makeup… She had been hurt by my words however, and I couldn't help but feel a little guilty.

Over the next two weeks, Olivia didn't mentioned what had happened. She started to dress a little more modestly and she didn't make lewd suggestions or jokes anymore. I supposed she had taken my words to heart. She spent a lot of time brewing potions. One evening while we ate dinner, I inquired about them.

"I'm working on a kitty contraceptive," she replied, smiling fondly down at Mouse.

"How's it going?" I inquired.

"Badly. In nature, animals don't use contraceptives so I'm having trouble knowing which ingredients to use. I've found a few human contraceptive in my Potions books but some of the ingredients are toxic to animals."

"Well you do have to go to Diagon Alley to get your school things. We should've done it weeks ago, really. Perhaps you can find more useful books at Flourish and Blott's. …We can go tomorrow."

"Sounds good to me."

The next morning after breakfast we Floo'd to Diagon Alley. As we headed to Gringott's so Olivia could withdraw some money, she poured over the school list.

"I got dress robes while I was in France," she said, "What formal occasion am I going to encounter at Hogwarts?"

"I'm not allowed to tell you," I replied with a faint smile.

"Oh come on, Severus," she pleaded, "Tell me."

I still hadn't gotten used to her using my first name, but I wasn't going to tell her not to. After all…I kinda liked it.

Olivia pleaded with me to tell her about the secret the entire walk to Gringott's wile she got her money, and the walk to Flourish and Blott's. When we reached the bookstore, Olivia darted inside and immediately began to pour over books. I took the list from her and gathered her schoolbooks while she searched through Potions books. She was still pouring over Potions books when I had finished gathering her schoolbooks.

"Come on Olivia," I said to her. She was sitting cross-legged on the floor, books surrounding her.

"I need all of these," she said sadly, looking around, "But then I won't have money for the rest of my stuff."

I blew out a sigh.

"Pick out 6 books. I'll pay for three of them," I said.

"I can't ask you to do that."

"It's fine. I could end up using them someday."

"I'll put them on the shelf in the sitting room," she said decisively.

It took her ten minutes to pick out the books she wanted. I scanned the titles as the clerk tallied up the total. One of the books was entitled 'Sex Brews'.

"Really?" I said to Olivia, pointing at the book.

"It's got contraceptives," she replied, blushing.

'Right," I snorted, "You're paying for that one."

When I finally dragged Olivia out of the bookstore, we made our way to Madam Malkin's robes so she could get new school robes.

"Can I go this myself? I'll meet you in a little while at the Apothecary, okay?" she asked me.

"Whatever you want. Give me your school list and I will get the rest of your things."

"I- really?" she asked, surprised.

"Yeah. Why not? Might as well."

"…Okay. See you in a bit."

I made my way around to the different shops, collecting her school things. I was carrying bags towards the Apothecary when I ran into Albus Dumbledore.

"Hello Severus," he said mildly.

"Hello. What are you going here?"

"I was out on business and stopped by here. I always was fond of this place when I was a boy."

"Right."

"I see you're doing Olivia's shopping," he said with a smile.

"I…uh…crap," I said, looking down at the bags, knowing he was going to have something smart to say about it.

"She's domesticated you," he said with a smile.

"She has not," I retorted, scowling, "I'm just speeding up this trip to Diagon Alley."

"Where is she anyway?"

"Getting robes at Madam Malkin's. She wanted to go alone."

"Naturally," he replied, "Doesn't she have a best friend? I believe girls usually do that sort of thing together."

"She doesn't have many friends. She doesn't like her classmates. She has one friend- Mari Pirelli. She graduated last year.

"One would think Olivia would ask Mari to come to Diagon Alley with her anyway."

I was reminded of the conversation Olivia and I'd had during dinner one evening last week.

"I got a letter from Mari," she had said.

"Oh?" I'd replied disinterestedly.

"Yes. …You know it's stupid to blame her for what happened at the World Cup."

"Who said I blamed her?" I had muttered, hiding behind the Daily Prophet.

"You told her to leave!"

"She was irritating. She wanted to help but she doesn't even know Dittany from Fluxweed," I'd retorted, "You'd think she never paid attention in my class."

"She _did _pay attention, I'm sure, but she was freaked out. Girls get freaked out, Severus. Her best friend was hurt, she didn't know where her sister was or if she was okay or not, and then she was stuck with you and you know you can be difficult- you do it on purpose."

I'd refused to say anything else after that, preferring to pretend to ignore her than to argue with her.

"How should I know what girls do?" I said to Albus, "I offered to bring her and she seemed fine with it. She could have asked her friend if she wanted to.

Albus and I parted ways shortly after that and I went to the Apothecary to wait for Olivia. I didn't buy any ingredients while waiting because I knew she would want to get them herself. I had taken her with me to Hogwarts a few days ago to compile a list of ingredient we were low on in the supply cupboard. So I waited outside of the Apothecary.

Almost ten minutes passed before she showed up, loaded down with shopping bags.

"What's all that?" I inquired, "I thought you were just getting new school robes?"

"Well these are shoes and makeup and gloves and I found these adorable earrings that were ½ off and-"

"Hey, you actually sound like a girl for once," I said, smirking faintly.

"Hmph. I _am _a girl, Severus, and all this crap-" she said, indicating the bags, "-is to make me pretty."

I started to say 'what for' but didn't wan to sound completely insensitive.

"You don't need all that crap," is what came out of my mouth instead.

She looked momentarily thoughtful, then grinned.

"_You _just said I'm pretty," she said lightly.

"I…uh…"

I trailed off and fell into silence. I moved past her and opened the door to the Apothecary for her.

"Go all quiet if you want to," she said, still smiling, "I know the truth."

I rolled my eyes.

"Well, apprentice, what ingredients are we low on in the store cupboard at Hogwarts?" I asked, changing the subject.

"I'm on it," she said and immediately began to go around the store.

While I was waiting for her to finish, I transfigured out combined bags of her things into one bag so that it would be easier to carry.

"You'll never guess who I saw at Madam Malkin's," Olivia said after we had left the Apothecary, as we were walking towards the Leaky Cauldron.

"Albus Dumbledore," I guessed.

"Wh- Are you reading my mind?"

"No, of course not. I would never infiltrate your mind. I saw him as well."

"Oh."

"Did he say anything to you?"

"He said hello and asked who was here with me. I told him you were going to meet me at the Apothecary. That was pretty much it. What did he say to you?"

"…He said you've domesticated me," I said with a snort.

She laughed and grinned.

"Have I?" she asked.

"You wish."

**Olivia's POV**

September first came quickly. I awoke to the sound of rain pounding on the roof. I dressed and went downstairs where Snape had summoned breakfaster. He was sitting at the table, reading the paper.

"It's raining," he said as I sat down.

"I see that, oh stater-of-the-obvious."

He shot me a look over the top of his paper.

"Sorry," I said grinning, "How am I getting to Hogwarts?"

"Well last time you Floo'd to the train station," he said, "…_but _you also got into trouble on the train."

"I don't think dementors are going to attack the train a second year in a row," I said, but really I was thinking about Lupin. How I had first met him on the train. How I had immediately felt I could trust him.

Suddenly I didn't feel all that hungry anymore.

"I suppose it couldn't hurt," he said.

"Who's the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher going to be?" I asked curiously.

"An ex-Auror by the named of Mad-Eye Moody."

"What kind of name is that?"

"You'll see when you meet him."

A few hours later, Snape and I said goodbye and I Floo'd to the train station where kids were just starting to arrive. I had Mouse in a pet carrier, which she didn't seem to like much- she was curled in a ball against the back of the carrier, refusing to look at me.

"Might as well get on the train. Mari graduated last year- no sense in waiting for anyone," I said to the cat.

I made my way to the Slytherin boxcar and sat down in the corner, ignoring everyone and acting as if I belonged there. Most of the students who came in were younger than me, so I didn't have to worry about them saying anything to me. As the boxcar filled, I made myself comfortable and let Mouse out of the carrier. She immediately curled up beside me.

As the train began to move forward, I pulled out a book and pretended to read. In reality, I had noticed Draco Malfoy and his friends sitting not far from where I was. He was talking loudly and his voice reminded me chillingly of his father's.

"-I'm definitely going to enter. Everyone knows I'm the brains of Slytherin House. Plus, a thousand Galleons prize money- you would have to be crazy not to enter," he said to his friends. They all nodded their agreement.

"What're you on about, Malfoy?" I asked curiously, glancing over my book at him.

"The Tournament, of course," he replied.

"Tournament?" I repeated blankly.

"You don't _know_? You live with Snape and you don't _know_?"

"You live with Professor Snape?" asked Pansy Parkinson curiously. She was another fourth-year student who was sitting with Draco. She had short dark hair and a face that reminded me of a dog.

"Yeah, so? He's my cousin," I said to her, then shot Draco a look, "Tell me what Tournament."

"The Triwizard Tournament- it hasn't been held in decades because of the high fatality rate," he said.

"I've read about it. They're going to hold another one?"

"According to my father. And guess which school is hosting?"

"Hogwarts."

"Yep."

"So, ya gonna enter?" Parkinson asked me.

"Dunno," I replied with an indifferent shrug, "Maybe."

I pretended to return my attention to the book I was reading, but I was actually thinking about the Triwizard tournament. It could be fun to enter…but the Ministry was probably going to put an age restriction on it, because of the high death toll.

The rain was pounding against the window as the train moved steadily onward. The trolley came around lunchtime and I bought a few chocolate frogs and some cauldron cakes. Draco and his lot loaded up on sweets- they had a whole pile in the middle of the floor.

Draco, Crabbe and Goyle soon left the compartment, leaving me alone with Parkinson. She was gazing out the window and I was reading my book.

"Is Professor Snape really your cousin?" she asked me curiously.

"Yeah," I said, even though he wasn't _really_.

"Is he always so…surly?"

"Pretty much," I replied, "…but he does have his moments."

"I've always sort of fancied him. That hair…and those eyes, you know," she said with a sigh. _Oh do I ever_, I thought to myself, trying to ignore the strong urge to punch her.

"Never really thought about it," I said lightly, "He's my cousin."

"So? Everyone is everyone's cousin when you're pureblood."

"Well…Snape's a teacher."

"So?" she said again, "Nothing wrong with that. Didn't you have a thing for Lupin last year?"

That was like a slap in the face.

"No," I denied quickly, "Where did you hear that?"

"Girls gossip," she replied with a shrug.

"Well I didn't," I said, somewhat annoyed, and immediately returned my attention to my book.

I made a point of not speaking to Parkinson for the rest of the trip. Draco and his cronies returned from torturing Harry Potter. Their conversation ranged from Potter and his friends, to the Quidditch World Cup, to the Triwizard Tournament. I kept my opinions to myself and if asked a question, I merely shrugged and pretended to read. Being older certainly had its advantages.

It was dark outside when the train finally reached the station in Hogsmeade. I coaxed Mouse back into her carrier, then left her there with my trunk to be taken in later. The rain was still pouring down as I climbed out onto the platform and the wind had picked up. I climbed into one of the carriages drawn by invisible Thestrals. A few second-year Slytherin girls climbed in beside me nervously. I ignored them.

I was thoroughly soaked by the time we reached the castle. Shivering, I made my way into the Entrance Hall. I stopped to empty the water out of my shoes and ring out my hair when all of a sudden- _SPLAT_!

I was smacked in the face by a water balloon and was drenched once more. I looked up to see Peeves the Poltergeist cackling overhead. I let out an animal-like roar that scared several younger students.

"You're dead meat, you son of a bitch!" I roared. I whipped out my wand and started firing spells at the ghost. He dodged most of them, laughing ecstatically. Some went through him. The stronger curses hit the ceiling and caused bits of brick to fall down. Several people squealed and ran inside to avoid the falling pieces.

"Miss Cain!" said an angry, authoritative voice. I glanced over to see McGonagall coming for me.

_Shit, _I thought to myself. A little voice in my head said 'run'…and I did just that.

I darted back out of the Entrance Hall and into the rain. As soon as my feet touched the grass, I morphed into my Animagus form and ran towards the forest on all fours.

I lingered in the darkness of the trees for over an hour, then decided it would b best to find a better hiding place. I left Hogwarts grounds and went to Hogsmeade. I walked around the back of the shops a while, not letting myself be seen- no doubt that sight of a wolf would frighten the villagers. Somehow, I found myself walking towards the Shrieking Shack, as if drawn there.

I went inside and followed the passage down to the room where Lupin used to stay when he was young. I lay down in the middle of the room, my heart heavy in my chest. The whole room smelled like him. I whined pathetically and covered my face with my paws.

**Snape's POV**

I spent the entire feast enduring Minerva's bitching about Olivia. I knew Olivia had been in the wrong, but still…

"-And running away was completely irresponsible," Minerva said as I was trying to eat my dessert, "It was a cowardly thing to do. I nearly broke my neck trying to chase her out of the entrance hall."

"Minerva," I said through gritted teeth, "I will go find her after the feast. Now _please_- let me eat."

"I hope you intend to punish her. Damaging the school," she said with a sniff, "In all my years-"

"I will punish her as I see fit," I said coolly, "I _am _her Head of House."

She opened her mouth to continue, but Albus intervened from her other side.

"Let it rest," he said calmly and that was the end of it.

After I had finished eating- and only after I was finished- I went out onto Hogwarts grounds. It was still raining heavily, along with thunder and lightning.

"Why couldn't she run away on a clear night?" I muttered to myself, pushing my wet hair out of my face.

A flash of lightning illuminated the grounds and I looked around. There was no sign of Olivia. Probably se was in the forest, but I didn't _really _want to search for her there. I decided to try the Shrieking Shack. At least it would be dry.

I made my way to the Whomping Willow, froze the branches, and ducked inside. I could hear the wind and rain pounding away outside, but I could also hear something else. A faint whimpering noise. I continued through the tunnel and when I stepped out into the main room, I found Olivia laying in the middle of the floor in wolf form. Her head was resting on her paws.

"Are you _crying_?" I asked, a little colder than I meant to be.

She leapt to her feet and let out a noise that was halfway between a bark and a growl, but was obviously defensive.

"You shouldn't have run away," I said, leaning against the door frame, "That was very irresponsible."

She morphed back into human. Her clothes were thoroughly soaked and she was shivering. Apart from that, her eyes were red. She _had _been crying.

"I know," she said with a sigh, "But it was McGonagall and I didn't feel like dealing with her. Besides…Peeves pissed me off."

She sneezed violently. I exhaled slowly. There was no way I could be mad at her when she looked so pitiful.

I pulled out my wand and used it to dry us both off, then I removed my cloak and fastened it around her shoulders.

Without saying anything, I led her out of the Shrieking Shack. We ran across the grounds and into the Entrance Hall, where I dried us both off again.

"The ceiling isn't even damaged anymore," Olivia said, looking upwards.

"Minerva fixed it," I said, also glancing up, "Now, off to bed with you."

"Am I not in trouble?" she asked, still looking up.

"Just go to bed."

She looked down from the ceiling at me and smiled. My ears heard a faint _thunk, thunk _noise and we both looked towards the Great Hall. The door opened and out limped Mad-Eye Moody, whom Albus had chosen as the new Defense Against the Dark arts teacher. His magical blue eye whirred in its socket and affixed itself on me.

"Hello Snape," Moody said, his wooden leg clunking on the stone floor as he came towards us across the Entrance Hall.

"Moody," I said coolly.

"Woah," said Olivia, taking in his appearance- his weather-beaten face, his mutilated nose, his wooden leg, and of course his eerie magical eye.

His magical eye flicked to her, but his normal eye stayed on me.

"Out for a little walk, are we?" Moody asked me.

"I was just escorting Miss Cain to her Common Room," I said stiffly, "She has a tendency to wander off."

"Do you now?" said Moody, both eyes now on her, "I don't recall seeing you at the feast- Cain, is it?"

"You remember every face you see?" she said, something of a challenge in her voice. I shot her a warning look.

"As a matter of fact, I do," Moody replied coolly.

"Who are you anyway?" she asked.

"He's the new Defense Against the Dark arts teacher," I provided, "_Which _you would have known had you been at the feast like you were supposed to. You also missed the headmaster's big announcement-"

"The Triwizard Tournament? Old news- no thanks to you, of course," she said lightly, then glanced at Moody, "Sure there's enough of you left to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts?"

"Olivia!" I said reprimanding. Moody studied her a moment, then turned his full gaze on me, his magical eye surveying me.

"What's she to you?" he growled.

"She- I-"

"He's my cousin," Olivia said unperturbedly.

"That so?" he asked, still looking at me.

"She is my cousin Ellen's daughter," I said with a curt nod. Moody looked intrigued at this.

"That's quite interesting," he remarked.

"Noy really," Olivia said with some definite hostility.

"You need to get to bed," I said through clenched teeth, pushing her towards the dungeons," Move it."

Moody let out a dry chuckle as I led her away and Olivia glared back at him.

"what the hell is wrong with you?" I snapped once we were safely in the dungeons and the door was shut behind us.

"I don't like him."

"Too bad. He's the new Defense teacher _and _an ex-Auror. You _don't _want to get on his bad side."

"I don't care who he is, I don't like him. There's something…_fake _about him."

I snorted and shook my head.

We came to a stop outside of the hidden Entrance to the Slytherin Common Room.

"And thanks a bunch for telling me about the Tournament so Malfoy didn't make me look like a complete idiot on the train," she said sarcastically, leaning against the wall, glaring at me.

"Hmph. Be grateful I haven't taken house points and just go to sleep," I retorted.

"I can't, I don't know the password."

"_Acromantula_," I said and the hidden door slid open. Olivia paused and unfastened my cloak from around her neck. She handed it to me wordlessly and went into the Common Room.

_Great_, I thought to myself, refastening the cloak around my shoulders, _I hope Moody didn't notice she was wearing my cloak. The last thing I want is that ass poking his nose in our business. _


	21. Year 6 Chapter 6

**Olivia's POV**

I was more than surprised that Snape had not given me detention or punished me in some form for running away. I had fully expected it. McGonagall would shit kittens if she ever found out. I didn't doubt that Snape would lie to her.

I was even more surprised that he had given me his cloak to keep me warm. It was a gesture of niceness I had not expected, especially since he knew I liked him. It had taken a lot of willpower to return the cloak and not keep it. He probably wouldn't have even noticed if I had.

The next morning at breakfast Snape passed out our schedules. He came up behind me and laid the paper in front of me on the table. He lingered a few moments, not speaking, then continued on down the table. When I saw him leave the Great Hall I got up and followed. I caught up with him as he was entering the dungeons.

"What are you doing?" he asked, sliding me a look.

"Coming to ask you a question," I replied defensively.

"Well?"

"Um…hm… When does that Triwizard thing start?"

"The contestants arrive in October."

"Oh. How old do you have to be to enter?"

"You're not entering," he said simply.

"Don't tell me what to do."

"You're not entering," he repeated with an air of finality.

"I shall," I said defiantly, narrowing my eyes at him.

"Do you _want _to die?"

"I thought you didn't care about me?" I challenged.

He glanced around, making sure we were alone, which of course we were- everyone else was still upstairs eating breakfast.

"Of course I would care if you died," he said quietly, not looking at me, "…I just…don't want what you want."

He meant sex, of course.

"What _do _you want then?"

"I don't know, okay?" he snapped, suddenly quite angry, "…Just go to class."

"Fine," I said, halting.

He continued on towards his classroom, not looking back at me.

"You're a pain in the butt, you know that?" I called after him.

"The same could be said for you," he retorted, but I could have sworn I saw him smile.

My first class of the day was Charms, though I scarcely paid attention to Flitwick's lecture about how NEWT-level classes were going to be harder and all that blah. I chose instead to think about Snape and wondering what he had meant about not knowing what he wanted.

Surely that meant he liked me? So I just had to wait for him to figure it out. Who knew how long _that _could take?

My second class of the day was Herbology, where Professor Sprout let us take care of the Venomous Tentacula, which was fun if not a little exhausting. When I went inside for lunch I was dirty, sweaty and tired. I skipped lunch and went down to the dungeons to wash up. Even once I was clean I didn't head upstairs to eat. I wouldn't have anyone to sit with or talk to since Mari had graduated. I hated to admit it…but I needed to make a new friend.

I had Moody's class with the Gryffindors right after lunch. I was admittedly a little concerned- Moody and I hadn't gotten off to a good start… in short, I _really _didn't like him. I entered the classroom and sat in the very back of the class, behind the Weasley twins. Slowly the room filled and Moody still had not showed up.

The door opened five minutes after the bell rang. Everyone turned to look only to see Alexandria Daae entering the room. The Weasley twins looked at each other and rolled their eyes. Daae was _always _late.

The only seat left for her was the one beside me. I inched my chair to the end of the table. She sat down with a sigh.

"Is Moody not here yet, then?" she asked me sullenly.

"No," I said, shaking my head.

I'd never really spoken to Daae before. She was generally a quiet, sullen person, who didn't talk to anyone. She wasn't especially skilled at anything, from what I could tell, but she wasn't any worse than the rest of my classmates.

I yawned tiredly and lay my head down on my desk. Almost immediately, the door flew open with a bang and Moody came clunking into the classroom.

"Sleep on your own time, Miss Cain," he said loudly as he made his way to the front of the classroom.

I raised my head and shot him a contemptuous look which I knew he could see through the back of his head. It took a lot of willpower for me not to point out the fact that _he _was the one who was ten minutes late for his own class.

Still, he could probably read my mind anyway. If Snape could infiltrate minds, this guy definitely could. He'd been an Auror after all. The thought was somewhat alarming- I couldn't risk letting him catch me thinking about Snape.

I immediately forced my thoughts away from Snape and onto something, anything else- my mind chose kittens.

"Would you kindly pay attention, Miss Cain?" Moody said in an annoyed voice, jolting me out of my thoughts.

_Yep_, I thought to myself, _Definitely a Legilimens. _

I focused my attention on Moody, who kept his magical eye on me the entire time he spoke.

"Now tat I have everyone's attention, I'll call roll," he growled. He began to go through the list of names, deliberately skipping mine. When he reached the end of the list, he tossed it aside.

"Now-" he began, but I interrupted him, unable to help myself.

"You didn't all my name, _Professor_," I said with as much sarcasm as I could force into the word. _If Draco could do it to Lupin, I can do it to this asshole, _I thought to myself.

My classmates seemed awestruck by my boldness and seemed to be holding their breaths as they awaited his retort. Even Alexandria Daae, who wasn't normally fazed by anything, seemed intrigued.

Slowly, Moody turned to face me.

"I am well aware of your presence, Miss Cain," he said, "Now, if I may continue-"

"Sure," I said lightly, unable to help myself.

My classmates tittered quietly.

"Ten points from Slytherin!" he barked, causing several people to jump, "Now, I've discussed this class' progress with Professor Lupin-"

I tried not to show an emotional response at the mention of his name, but I still felt the pain rip through my heart.

"-You seem well-informed on Dark creatures and several somewhat useful spells," continued Moody, "But you are behind in your lessons. There are still spells you have yet to learn, curses you have not yet become acquainted with. …Are there any of you who can even perform a nonverbal spell?"

I wanted desperately to be able to raise my hand, but I had not yet learned nonverbal spells- though of course I immediately committed myself to learning to do so.

"I thought not," he said, somewhat smugly, "What you have learned is enough to get you through your namby-pamby life here at Hogwarts. Outside these walls, life isn't so easy. Out there, there are Dark Wizards, evil forces, waiting for you at every turn."

The class was deadly silent. I let out a sneering snort. Moody focused both his eyes on me.

"Don't believe me, eh? What about this?" he said, pointing to his nose, which was missing a large chunk, "A Death Eater by the name of Evan Rosier. He died rather than let himself be taken. A true supporter of the Dark Lord. My leg- well I won't tell you about that one. You wouldn't be able to sleep for a week."

"So? That was like 20 years ago. The Dark Lord is gone. The Death Eaters are all in Azkaban, dead, or have moved on. There's nothing 'out there'," I said, making quotation marks with my fingers.

Moody appeared enraged.

"You think the Dark Lord is dead, do you? Well you're wrong there, little girl! Don't any of you doubt for a moment that _he _isn't out there, growing stronger, regrouping…"

I was struck by the fact that Moody had referred to him as the Dark Lord. I'd only ever heard Slytherins or former Slytherins call him that. Perhaps he had only called him that because I had.

"-Moving on… I have only a year to prepare you for what's out there-"

"Why only a year?" I inputted.

"You will raise your hand if you wish to ask a question," Moody barked.

I raised my hand with an obvious eye roll.

"No questions," he snapped, "…And detention, Miss Cain."

"Why?"

"Insolence!" he barked, then turned away from me.

"He answered a question," I whispered to Daae smugly.

Moody whipped around, grabbed my upper arm hard, and forcibly dragged me out of my chair and out of the classroom. He slammed the door shut behind us.

"I don't know what's in your head that made you think it's acceptable to speak to me in that way. I want you out of my classroom until you learn some respect!" he shouted.

"I don't have my bag, _sir_," I said coolly.

He pulled out his wand- I had mine out in an instant, expecting a curse- but he merely opened the door to the classroom, which immediately fell silent again.

With a jerking motion of Moody's wand, my bag flew out of the room and landed at my feet.

"Out," he repeated. I slung my bag over my shoulder and marched away with my head held high. Moody went back into the classroom and slammed the door behind him.

I headed downstairs to the dungeons, thinking at first that I would return to the Common Room. Then I decided, since I was feeling bold and _insolent_, I may as well make another bold move. I headed for the Potions classroom.

I knocked lightly on the classroom door and was promptly told to enter. I opened the door a little and poked my head in. Dozens of wide-eyed first years looked back at me. Snape stood at the front of the room. He did not look pleased. I made a little 'come here' gesture with my finger and ducked back out into the hallway.

"I want absolute silence," I heard Snape say to the class in most deadly- and sexy- voice. A moment later he stepped out into the hallway, shutting the door behind him, not slamming it as Moody had.

"Why the _hell _aren't you in Defense class?" he demanded.

"Moody kicked me out," I replied, pouting slightly.

"_What_?"

"He said I was an insolent little girl."

"Well," he said slowly, "You aren't a little girl."

I made a face at him and a smile threatened at the corners of his mouth.

"What am I supposed to do?" I asked seriously.

He was silent a moment, thinking.

"…Come help me teach first years," he said finally.

"Wha- seriously?"

"Yes. You're the Potion Master's apprentice. This will be a good experience for you."

"Cool!"

"Rules," he said quickly, "Don't speak unless spoken to. No helping them cheat. No snide remarks. No…"

"Insolence?" I suggested with a sly smile.

"No insolence. And no demeaning my authority."

"Who, me?" I asked innocently.

"I'm serious, Olivia."

"Yes, _sir_," I said emphatically, though not in the same tone I had used with Moody.

He opened the door without further ado and walked back into the deadly-silent classroom of first-years. I followed, feeling slightly awkward and nervous.

"Class, this is Olivia Cain. She's my apprentice and the only student whom I have ever encountered with the patience and skill enough to be adept at Potions."

I glanced sideways at him- he had just complimented me in front of a room full of students. Snape cleared his throat and continued.

"She's going to assist me today in teaching you. Now, you'll find the directions for today's potion on the board, as well as on page 3 of your books," he said to the class. He looked at me and nodded.

"Ingredients can be found in the store cupboard," I said to the first-years, "You have one hour to attempt to complete your potion. Begin now."

The students frantically began to gather supplies and ingredients. Snape sat down at his desk, looking faintly amused. I sat on top of his desk, towards the edge, legs crossed, smiling as the students got off to a mostly horrible start.

"Walk amongst them and comment," Snape told me. I looked at him and rolled my eyes, careful not to let any of the children see. Then I hopped down off his desk and proceeded to do what he had asked.

**Snape's POV**

I watched as Olivia made her way along the rows of students, observing them as they prepared ingredients. She peered into their cauldrons as they progressed. She scoffed several times and laughed at their pathetic efforts. There was one student, however, whom she seemed intensely interested in. A girl with brown, curly hair and bright blue eyes. She sat calmly at her desk, cutting ingredients and adding them in a bored sort of way.

"You're doing well," Olivia said to her.

"Thanks," muttered the girl indifferently.

Olivia lingered around, watching the girl work. I looked over the list of student's names and determined that the girl was Faye Leppard. She was in Ravenclaw.

She was also the first one finished with her potion. She sat looking relatively bored. Olivia peered into Leppard's cauldron then looked up at me, her emerald eyes shining in pleasant surprise. I interpreted it as meaning that I should come look. I stood and walked disinterestedly over to where the girl sat. I glanced into the bubbling cauldron- the potion was practically perfect. I said nothing, but continued to walk around the classroom, making snide comments like I usually did.

Soon the hour was up and Leppard was the only one to have successfully completed the potion. The bell rang and the students began to make their way out of the classroom somewhat miserably.

"Your work today was fantastic," Olivia said to Leppard, "You have the potential to be great at Potions."

"What's so great about Potions?" muttered the girl as she left the classroom.

"What an ungrateful bitch!" Olivia scoffed once all of the students were gone, "Talk about insolence! What's her name anyway?"

"Faye Leppard, "I replied, "…Close the door. We need to talk and I only have ten minutes before my next class."

She closed the door somewhat reluctantly.

"This is about Moody, isn't it?" she said heavily.

She sat on top of one of the tables, facing my desk.

"Yes."

"I hate that stupid ass. He was ten minutes late to his own class! How the-"

"Olivia, listen to me. I need you to not be openly hostile towards Moody. The last thing we need is for him to become interested in our business."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I don't want him to find out you live with me…or anything else he doesn't need to know. He already has reason to hate me…"

I thought she would ask why, but she didn't. Instead she nodded in understanding.

"Because he was an Auror," she said knowingly.

"Wh- Er…"

"I know you were a Death Eater. I've seen the Mark on your wrist."

I flexed my hand involuntarily.

"…I also know you weren't _really _a Death Eater," she continued, "You were a spy."

"What? How do you know this?" I demanded.

"I can't tell you that. I'm sworn to secrecy."

It had to be Albus. No one else would know. Except maybe Lupin. He would have told her.

"Why would you want to keep his stupid secrets?" I muttered irritably.

"Wait, who are you talking about?" she asked, confused.

"…Lupin."

She looked slightly hurt. She crossed her arms over her chest and stared in the opposite direction. I was somewhat concerned she might get angry with me.

"It wasn't him," she muttered quietly after a moment.

"Oh. Albus then?"

"I'm not going to tell you, Severus."

"…Fine. The important thing is that you need to not draw so much attention to yourself. What did Moody say when he kicked you out? Is it indefinite?"

"If it is, can I stay in here and help teach?" she asked hopefully.

I frowned at her and shook my head.

"It's until I learn some respect or some shit like that," she said with a sigh, "He also might've said something about a detention."

"Olivia," I said with an exasperated sigh, "…It's time for my next class- they're starting to line up outside the door."

"I have a free period on my schedule. Can I stay and help?" she asked eagerly.

I exhaled slowly.

"I should say no. I'm letting you get away with far too much. You _will _serve your detention with Moody."

"Of course…but you're not saying no, are you?"

"You can stay," I said.

"Yay! Thanks Sev," she said, grinning. A sharp pain shot through my heart. Sev…that's what Lily used to call me.

"Don't call me that," I snapped harshly.

"Why?"

"And don't ask questions," I growled, then relented, "…How would _you _feel if I called you 'Turtle'?"

"Oh…" she said slowly, "I get it."

"Good," I said, then stood up and went to let the class in.

I waited until the last student went inside before going back into the classroom. When I re-entered the room I found Olivia was sitting at my desk. I frowned at her and she grinned again. I blew out a sigh and turned to face the roomful of fifth-years.

After that class, which was the last of the day, Olivia waved her wand so that the door sat behind the last student to go out of it. She was sitting in my chair again, though she hadn't remained there the entire class period. She had her feet propped up on my desk and was idly flipping through a magazine she had confiscated from a fifth-year Gryffindor girl.

"Why are you still here?" I asked as I began to walk around, grading the potions the class had left behind.

"I wanted to talk to you about something," she replied, not looking up from the magazine.

"What?" I asked her.

"Is Moody a Legilimens?"

I stopped walking and looked curiously at her.

"What do you know about Legilimency?"

She shrugged evasively.

"…I wouldn't put it past him," I said finally, "Why?"

"I don't want him to be able to infiltrate my mind. There are things there I'd rather him not see…and you'd rather not have him see, trust me. I want you to teach me how to protect my mind."

"What makes you think I know about such things?"

"Because…you're Severus Snape. You know everything."

"Hmph," I said, somewhat amused, "Not _everything_."

"Well you're the most closed-up person I know. It took me ages to break through your shell-"

"You think you've broken through my shell?" I snorted.

"-So you _must _know how to protect your mind," she continued, ignoring me, "How else would you have made such a good spy-"

"You need to keep your mouth shut about that," I snapped.

"Why? The Dark Lord is long dead."

"…You really think that?"

"Don't you?"

"No. Albus believes he's still alive…and so do I. What about the Death Eaters at the World Cup?"

"That was just Lucius and a bunch of other former Death Eater assholes, messing around."

"…They would not have shot the mark into the sky," I said quietly, touching the mark on my wrist absently, "They would be too frightened."

"Why would they be frightened? They all loved the Dark Lord or whatever, right?" she said, rolling her eyes.

"They would be fearful of his wrath. Many of them lied to stay out of Azkaban. They betrayed him, they betrayed each other. …Many of them said my name to try and save their skins, including Karkaroff. Dumbledore's word kept me safe."

"Karkaroff tried to snitch on you?"

I inclined my head.

"I knew there was a reason I didn't like him," she said bitterly.

"I would prefer if we didn't talk about it," I said, referring to the spy thing, "…It makes me antsy."

"Okay. So will you teach me to protect my mind?"

I sighed.

"The skill you are referring to is called Occlumency. I am only telling you so you have a word for it. I haven't decided whether or not I will teach it to you. …I suggest you read up on it. You don't understand what it is you're asking me to do."

"Okay, I'll do that…but think on it," she said, "…please."

"Very well."

She smiled and got up from my desk.

"Where are you going?" I inquired.

"To the library of course," she said with a grin, "Catch you later."

Then she left, taking the confiscated magazine with her.

Now I was left with a decision to make. I concentrated on finishing my work, first. When all the potions were graded- most of them receiving a D for Dreadful- I sat down at my recently-evacuated desk. I noticed she had been doodling on a scrap of parchment that was on my desk. She had drawn a flower, a smiley face and a heart. Somehow I couldn't bring myself to toss it in the trash bin. I opened a drawer in my desk which was filled with confiscated items- gum, candy, spinning tops and the like- and tossed the scrap piece of paper inside.

I sighed heavily and slammed the drawer shut, feeling a bit irritated with myself. No way was I going to be able to teach Olivia Occlumency. I didn't know which was worse- the thought of her in my head or of me in hers. My thoughts would only lead her on and if I had to confront her feelings for me yet gain… I wasn't so sure I would be abele to control myself so well this time.

**Olivia's POV**

I spent the rest of the evening in the library reading about Occlumency and Legilimency. When it came time for dinner, I headed downstairs to the Great Hall with a book I had checked out called _Protection From Outside Forces_. I had just reached the Entrance Hall when I saw Moody hauling Draco towards the dungeons. A small crowd had gathered, which I scanned for a familiar face. I spotted Alexandria Daae, who was actually smiling for once. I made my way to her.

"What did I miss?" I inquired.

"Moody turned the Malfoy boy into a ferret ad bounced him around the Entrance Hall," she replied.

"I can't believed I missed that!"

"It was pretty awesome," she agreed, "But McGonagall put a stop to it."

"Damn. Where is Moody taking him now?"

"To speak with Snape."

"He'll be thrilled," I said sarcastically.

I parted ways with Daae and sat at the end of the Slytherin Table, alone, so that I could read while I ate. Neither Snape or Draco ever came into the hall for supper. Nor did Moody. The headmaster caught my eye a few times as I scanned the staff table. He would just smile at me with his twinkling blue eyes and I would scowl, then refocus my attention on the book.

I returned to the Common Room after dinner and sat in one of the black leather chairs to finish reading. I was also somewhat waiting for Draco to return to that I would know it was safe to go see Snape.

When the door finally did open and Draco walked in he looked embarrassed, disheveled, an miserable- a definite change from the usual act of strutting about like he owned the place.

"Professor Snape wants to see you," Draco muttered to me.

"Moody's not still down there, is he?" I asked. I wouldn't go if Moody was still down there.

"No," Draco replied heavily.

"Oh. Good."

I took my book and left the Common Room, heading down to Snape's office.

He was sitting at his desk when I entered, looking highly annoyed. He did seem to relax a little when I came in a locked the door behind myself.

"You okay?" I asked him.

"Moody's an ass," he said with a sigh, "And I missed dinner because of him."

"Told you so."

"He turned Draco into a ferret! I expect I'll be receiving a letter from Lucius before the night is over. …Although there's _really _not anything _I _can do it. It's Mad-Eye Moody. Lucius should understand better than anyone," he muttered.

"Why?" I asked curiously. He glanced up at me quickly.

"This doesn't leave the room," he warned.

"Of course not."

"Moody arrested Lucius back in the day. The charges didn't stick, of course, but Moody doesn't trust anyone. He's convinced he's a Death Eater."

"He's not wrong though. How _did _Lucius get off?" I asked darkly, vividly recalling the scene at the World Cup, "I've never seen anyone who is so obviously a slime ball."

"Money, of course," Snape replied, "Now he sits comfortable, fearlessly, in the Minister's pocket."

"Like you with Dumbledore… only you're not really a bad guy."

He let out a snort and I raised an eyebrow at him.

"I am not a good person," he said dryly.

"Are too," I argued.

"Oh what do you know?" he snapped, "You don't know half of the things I've done! I-"

He stopped abruptly and took a deep breath. When he exhaled, his face became a mask of calm, but deep in the depths of his black eyes he still looked troubled.

"Let me see the book you got," he said, changing the subject. I sighed and handed him _Protection from Outside Forces._

He flipped through the book in a semi-interested sort of way. I was struck by an idea suddenly and stood up. He looked up at me.

"Where are you going? I still need to talk to you."

"I'll be right back," I promised. He didn't say anything else, just watched me leave in a curious sort of way.

I hurried up to the kitchens, got some food from the helpful house-elves, and went back into the dungeons, levitating the lot behind me. I opened the door to Snape's office and he looked up in surprise. He quickly cleared his desk so that I could set the food down.

"…Thank you," he said quietly.

"Well someone's got to look out for you," I said with a smile.

"Oh am _I _the one that needs looking after?" he asked, a small smile twitching at the corners of his mouth, "How many times have I had to come save your butt?"

"With your inexplicable ability to always know when I am in danger?"

He said nothing to this, but began to eat, still smiling slightly.

"Besides, I hoped food would make you less grumpy," I added.

"Think again," he said after swallowing a mouthful of food, "I'm still going to have a serious talk with you about Moody."

"Did you two talk about me?" I asked, wrinkling my nose.

"Yes. You're suspended from his class until Monday-"

"Can he even do that?" I interrupted.

"He can do whatever he likes. You also have to serve a detention- with _him_- Saturday evening."

"On a Saturday? That Bastard!"

"Hmph," he said through a mouthful of food, but rather than reprimand me for language, he took another bite.

I sighed and twisted around in my chair so that I could hand my feet over the arm of the chair.

"So you should teach me Occlumency before Saturday," I said casually.

"No way you could learn it that fast," he replied, "…And I still haven't decided if I'm actually going to teach you or not."

"But I don't want Moody all up in my head on Saturday. There's things there I really don't want him to see."

"So you've said."

"Isn't there a simple way to keep him out?" I asked.

"Yeah- don't think about the things you don't want him to see."

"Do you know hard that is? You're automatically going to think of the thing you try not to."

"You've done more difficult things," he replied dismissively.

"Couldn't you just pop up in my head and kick him out?"

"I won't do that. That could hurt you. A lot," he said, unable to keep a faint note of worry out of his voice, "You are unaccustomed to my presence in your mind. I haven't used Legilimency on you since you were thirteen."

"But- wait, you used to infiltrate my mind?"

He seemed to realize what he had said and invoked the silent treatment. He took a bite of his food.

"You're not getting out of this one so easily, Severus," I said.

He took a moment to chew and swallow, deciding how best to answer.

"At least I stopped," he said bracingly.

I just shook my head.

"What if I give you permission to enter my mind? I don't care if it hurts. I don't want Moody's old grizzly-faced ass in my mind."

He was silent for a while, thinking while he finished his meal. When he was done, he cleared it all away with a wave of his wand.

"I suppose," he said finally, "…We can start tomorrow. Perhaps by Saturday you will be unaccustomed to my presence in your head. And who knows- you could be a natural at Occlumency…though I highly doubt it. If you were naturally skilled, you would have been able to sense my presence when you were younger."

"Rub it in, why don't you?" I said, smirking, then added on a more serious note, "…Thank you."

"For what?"

"Agreeing to do this. I know you don't want to."

"It's fine," he said with a shrug, "Your only alternative for an Occlumency-teacher is Dumbledore and I know you don't want him in your head. Hell, _I _don't want him in your head."

"Yeah, that's definitely for the best."

**Snape's POV**

I spent all of the next day worrying about my impending Occlumency lesson with Olivia. I had a tentative plan for the lesson, but Occlumency was a difficult thing to teach. There was no way of knowing what could happen. I allowed her to come back and assist me in my classes during her free class periods and during the class period she should have had Defense class, if only because I enjoyed watching her boss around the younger students. She criticized them heavily and made snide remarks. She might have been imitating me, but I couldn't be sure.

When the last class was over, Olivia and I walked up to the Great Hall together for an early dinner. We parted ways when we entered and she went to sit at the Slytherin Table where only a few students sat. I headed up to the staff table where sat only Albus and Sinastra, of the astronomy department.

"Alastor tells me Olivia is having problems in his class," he said casually.

"I'm handling it," I told him.

"He suspended her from his class?"

"Only until Monday. I'm handling it," I repeated, "…I'm going to teach the girl Occlumency."

His eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Is that the best idea?" he asked, "For you, I mean."

"What do you mean?"

"I thought it was your intention was to distance yourself from the girl?"

"Well that's rather impossible, isn't it?"

"Quite. …How is she spending the class period she should be learning Defense Against the Dark Arts?"

"…I'm allowing her to assist me in teaching my younger classes…as part of her apprenticeship."

"I see," he said with a knowing smile, "You've become quite close to her, haven't you?"

"Well…I mean… I have to take care of her," I said, unable, at this point, to stop myself from looking down at her. She sat alone at the table, as far from the other students as she could be. She wasn't paying any attention to Albus and myself.

"Have you told her the story behind her adoption?" he asked me.

"Of course not."

"What about your past?"

"No…but you did," I said with a snort.

"I told her minimal things that I thought she needed to know," he replied simply, "…I encourage you to open up to her."

"Why?" I muttered.

"It would be good for you. You need someone you can talk to and she needs someone to be close to."

I exhaled sharply, annoyed.

"Sometimes I think you live just to interfere in other people's lives," I said, "Particularly mine."

Albus chuckled quietly.

I stood to leave then. Olivia perked up. She shoved a few more spoonfuls of food into her mouth then hurried and met me at the door to the Entrance Hall. I chanced a glance back at Albus, who was watching us both and smiling. I sighed irritably.

"S'wrong, Severus?" Olivia asked me.

"Nothing," I replied and held the door open for her.

"Dumbledore piss you off?"

"Well…he was more mildly annoying than anything. He always thinks he knows what is best for me. I can take care of myself."

"Sounds familiar," she said with a grin.

We headed down to the Potions classroom together. I allowed Olivia to enter first and while I closed and locked the door, she sat on the edge of my desk. With a flick of my wand, the desks pushed themselves against the walls, out of the way, giving us a bigger area to work with.

"So," Olivia said, "How do we start this?"

"Well first you get off my desk."

"Sorry," she said and hopped down.

"Now, I'm going to penetrate your mind. You must try to block me."

"How?" she asked.

"…Clear yourself of all emotion. Focus yourself on ejecting me from your mind."

"Okay," she said, sounding slightly anxious.

"Don't be nervous," I told her, "It is not my intention to hurt you."

"Right."

"Are you ready?"

She nodded, a look of determination on her face.

I pulled out my wand.

"_Legilimens_."

I eased myself into her mind. She was focusing on what I had said- _clear mind, clear, nothingness. _

_Push against me, _I thought, projecting it into her mind.

She gave a start and a slew of things passed quickly through her mind, most of them memories, most of them concerning me. They were brief images, mostly harmless. One was of the night she had confronted me about her feelings. I emotionally detached myself and focused on this memory, knowing it would cause her to react.

Her mind was flooded with embarrassment, hurt, and annoyance. _Get out_, she thought furiously, finally fighting against me. I didn't fight back but withdrew from her mind after a minute longer.

"You cannot allow yourself to be emotionally attached," I told her.

"I know, I know," she responded, somewhat annoyed, "It's just…difficult."

"I know. Take a minute, then we'll try again."

She took several deep breaths, then opened her eyes and nodded to me.

By the end of a two-hour time period, she had not progressed at all. I had only planned to work with her for an hour, but she was so determined…

"Are you sure you want to keep doing this?" I asked her, "Some people just can't do it."

"I _will_," she said, "Can you teach me again tomorrow?"

"I suppose so… in the meantime, keep practicing."

"How?"

"Concentrate on memories that would normally make you angry or sad or…any strong emotion, and try to make yourself feel nothing."

"Okay."

I checked my watch.

"If you hurry, you can make it back to your Common Room before curfew."

"Yeah, okay."

**Olivia's POV**

The next day after dinner, Snape and I were back in the Potions classroom. I had spent most of my classes dredging up memories and trying not to feel- the memory of Ellen's death, the time Ryan ran over a cat, a variety of memories regarding Lupin and some of Snape. The memories of Lupin were particularly difficult. It hurt to think of how happy I had been.

Of course Snape chose these memories to focus on, since they were the ones that made me feel the most. Yet I also discovered something about having Snape inside my head- I could sense how he felt briefly before he covered it up. This was how I found that whenever he saw Lupin and I together in my head- especially if we were kissing or hugging- he felt an insane amount of jealousy and hurt. Whether he knew I could sense these things or not was unknown to me.

Then I made the mistake of thinking of- or he made the mistake of digging up- the memory of Lupin and I in his office, with me on my knees in front of him while he moaned my name. An intense rage radiated from his presence in my mind. I tried to block him mentally and somehow we both ended up physically falling backwards. I was still sprawled on the floor- I had hit my head rather hard on the stone- as Snape got up, his face expressionless, and brushed himself off. He turned his back to me.

After a minute he exhaled deeply and turned back to me. He offered me a hand up without speaking, which I gratefully accepted.

"Are you okay?" he asked as I touched the back of my head gingerly and winced.

"I think so. …I'm sorry…"

"We will not speak of it," he stated simply, "…You did succeed in projecting me from your mind."

"Can we try again?"

"I think it best we wait until tomorrow."

"But tomorrow is Friday. That's the last day before my detention with Moody."

"We will get some practice in Saturday morning. If you don't feel comfortable protecting your mind, then I shall do it for you," he said, "…Of course, that means you still must be careful what you think of…"

"Of course."

Saturday morning at breakfast I was sitting by myself, eating and drinking coffee. I was practicing my Occlumency- I had successfully projected Snape from my mind on Friday although, as he made a point of saying, he hadn't been trying very hard. My eyes were closed, my mind was on Lupin, trying to make myself feel nothing. Suddenly my ears detected the sound of Moody's leg clunking in my direction.

_This will be a good opportunity to try the 'not feeling' thing_, I thought to myself. I opened my eyes and looked up at Moody's scared face.

"I expect you in my office tonight at 6 p.m. to complete your detention, Miss Cain," he growled.

"Yes sir," I said calmly, "What will I be doing?"

"Lines," he retorted, "Lucky for you, Dumbledore has joined your little fan club. If it weren't for him, you would be doing work with me in the Forbidden Forest."

I said nothing, to keep myself from snapping that I was perfectly capable of going into the forest. I was careful not to let my face show any emotion.

As Moody clunked away I felt someone slip into my mind. It was a presence I was becoming accustomed to however.

_You did good_, said Snape's voice. I glanced up at the staff table and smiled at him. A warm feeling entered his mind before he quickly withdrew from my own mind.

I smiled a little wider.

After breakfast, I met up with Snape in the Entrance Hall and followed him down to the Potions classroom for some Occlumency practice. He penetrated my mind several times and with a little effort I pushed him out.

"Your efforts are still weak," he said, though not unkindly.

I didn't allow myself to get angry.

"Then why don't you fight back?" I challenged, "Make it more of a challenge for me."

"I have said before… I have no intention of hurting you."

"How else will I learn?"

"By continued practice. Now, once again-"

And he was in my head again. I pushed against him mentally. He withdrew, then re-entered. We kept this up until I began to feel mentally fatigued. Many memories flashed through my mind, but one in particular caught both our attentions. It wasn't as vivid as some of the others because it wasn't just a memory- it was a memory of a dream. In the dream we were in his office. I was on top of his desk and he was in front of me, kissing me hungrily, sliding his hand up my skirt. In the next instant I was naked on a bed with him over me, his black hair hanging around his face as he looked down at me with lust-filled eyes.

I tried to block him from this memory, feeling mortally embarrassed, but he clung to it almost desperately. In this instant I could sense the desire in his mind. He wanted this- badly. There was also an immense amount of confusion and guilt. I fought in vain against him, but he fought back, causing a sharp pain to fill my mind. All I could think of was I had to make him stop, to shield my mind from him.

In the next instant I was lurched out of the comforts of my own mind into one that was cold and unfamiliar to me and far more advanced and complex than my own mind. A sudden slew of memories that were not my own appeared and began to pass through my mind.

A baby crying in a dark house. He lifted the bloody infant, wrapped his cloak around it, and held it close to his chest. Another memory- standing outside the bookstore in Diagon Alley, peering through a window at Ellen teaching a five-year-old - me- to read from a book about cats. Another memory of an older version of me- about nine- making my way through Diagon Alley. He was following me, a strong protective instinct overriding everything else, including his common sense.

Then came more memories- ones that didn't concern me. A dimly-lit dungeon. Three people in hooded cloaks stood around a man bound with chains.

"Crucio," said a cruel, cold voice which I hardly recognized as Snape's. The chained man writhed and screamed in agony.

There were several more memories like this, all with a similar theme of torture. Then a strong force pushed against me, forcing me out of his mind. I fell to my knees with a grown, clutching my head. It felt like my brain was on fire.

I looked up when I heard a loud crash- Snape had thrown a chair against a wall.

I backed myself against the wall anxiously. When he turned to face me, I couldn't help but be frightened, even though I knew he wouldn't hurt me.

"Well, fuck," he said and he turned and stormed out of the classroom, letting the door slam shut behind him.

I sat there a few minutes, my heart beating wildly in my chest. Of all the things I had seen in his mind, the scene with the baby intrigued me the most. It had been me, of course. Dumbledore had told me he had saved me when I was a baby. Now Snape knew that I knew.

The other memories didn't bother me as much. They had obviously been his Death Eater days, and although I had been frightened, I knew he was not the same person he had been back then. I now understand what he meant when he insisted her was a bad person. I also understood his reluctance to let anyone get close to him.

Feeling overwhelmed, I left a note on his desk, then left the classroom. I needed to talk to somebody… unfortunately, I could only think of one person who knew Snape better than I did. With a resigned sigh, I headed out of the dungeons and up the Grand Staircase to the sixth floor.

When I reached the stone gargoyle which hid the entrance to the headmaster's office, I stopped.

"Has Professor Snape been this way?" I asked the gargoyle. It shook its ugly stone head 'no'. I didn't know the current password, but knew from past experience that it was always something to do with candy. After a few tries, the gargoyle sprang aside at the mention of licorice wands.

I hurried up and knocked on Dumbledore's office door.

"Come in," he said pleasantly. I pushed the door open somewhat reluctantly.

"Olivia. What a pleasant surprise. Have a seat," he said warmly, "What brings you here?"

I sat in the proffered chair.

"I think I made Severus mad at me," I said after a moment.

He didn't seem surprised that I used his first name.

"How mad?" he inquired.

"Mad enough to use the 'f' word in front of me and leave his office."

"Indeed? What happened?"

"Well he's been teaching me Occlumency and today… well something went wrong. I ended up in his head."

He listened intently as I told him what I had seen.

"-Then he left," I finished, "I was hoping you could tell me… I haven't screwed it up, have I? I've spent years, literally years, making friends with him. It hasn't been easy."

"I know it hasn't been easy. Severus has true horrors in his past that no one should have to deal with. He doesn't let anyone get close to him for that reason. The fact that he has let you get this close is truly significant. He cares for you quite a lot. I don't think he will let this affect that."

"…What should I do? Should I just pretend it never happened or try to talk to him about what I saw, or…?"

"I think, in regards to the things you saw about his Death Eater days, you should say nothing. Let him talk, if he will, but don't push the issue."

"Okay. Thanks."

I stood to leave, but hesitated when I reached the door.

"Yes?" he said pleasantly.

"Well…I saw what you told me about- how he rescued me when I was a baby. …Should I not mention that either?"

"That is up to you. I think it will strengthen your relationship with Severus if you can get him to admit it himself- get him to tell you the story himself. You cannot let him know you already know. He will know who told you."

"I won't let him know," I promised, "Thank you."

As I headed back downstairs I noticed that most everyone was heading into the Great Hall for lunch. I headed in as well, although I felt anything but hungry. Snape never showed up for lunch, but midway through my picking at my plate of food, I felt his presence slip into my mind.

_Come see me sometime before your detention_, said his voice.

Before I had a chance to respond or even be adequately surprised, he withdrew.


	22. Year 6 Chapter 7

**Author's Note: **Thanks for all the great reviews! You guys are awesome! Here's the next chapter, courtesy of my work's DSL internet. Looove it!

~LittleReporterGirl

**Snape's POV**

I had returned to the classroom around lunchtime and had found the note she had left me, which only said 'I'm Sorry'. I felt immensely guilty. _I _was the one who was sorry. I had glimpsed the memory of the dream in her mind and couldn't tear myself away. Then she had seen into the depths of my mind, into the darkest part of me.

It was about an hour after I had told her to come that Olivia came to my office.

"Sit," I told her. She did, without speaking, and looked at me curiously, patiently. I took a deep breath, but couldn't think of how to begin.

"I…I don't want you to be frightened by what you saw," I said to her.

"…Which part, exactly?"

"The latter."

"Oh. I'm not. …You aren't who you were back then. I know you would never hurt anyone…especially me."

I shifted uncomfortably and sighed.

"But I did… and I'm sorry."

"O…kay," she said, somewhat surprised.

Neither of us spoke for quite sometime. Finally she looked up at me.

"Can I ask a question?" she asked timidly.

I nodded reluctantly.

"The first memory I saw…was it me?"

I sighed and decided it was time to tell her.

"Yes. …I should have told you a long time ago. I found you when you were a baby."

"How?" she asked.

"Your mother- your biological mother, that is- was a Death Eater-"

"What was her name?" she asked.

"I- does it matter?"

"Yes," she replied simply.

"Her name was Lynn Rahl. She was young- twenty-something, I think. She didn't show up for a Death Eater meeting one day and I was sent to find her. So I went to her apartment- a small, shabby place. Worse than mine. She had been pregnant. Not like completely pregnant, but a few months from her due date, I guess. I don't really know about such things."

"Naturally."

"Anyway I went there…and she was dead. You were there beside her on the floor. You had been born early. It was really cold…you were turning blue. So I wrapped you in my cloak and took you. I gave you to Ellen and told the Dark Lord you had both died. If I hadn't…well, there's no telling what would have happened to you."

"So…you don't know who my father was?"

"No. Sorry."

"Doesn't matter," she said with a shrug, "…Thank you."

"For what, exactly?"

"For rescuing me," she replied, "…And for telling me these things."

I shrugged uncomfortably.

"You're welcome, I guess. I… Do you want to brew a potion?" I asked her. Anything to steer us away from the awkward conversation.

"Sure," she said with a smile.

We started working on a Blood-Replenishing Potion, which Madam Pomfrey had told me we were running low on.

"Did Moody tell you what you'll be doing for your detention?" I asked conversationally as we worked together flawlessly.

"Lines," she replied, "It would have been worse but apparently Dumbledore interfered."

"Lines? That is good. Doing lines is mindless word, but as long as you concentrate on what you are doing, it should be harder for Moody to get to you."

"Cool," she replied, "But you'll still check up on me, right?"

"Sure," I muttered, knowing it was probably a bad idea.

We worked on the potions for the rest of the day. It never ceased to amaze me how perfectly we worked together, our every movement synchronized. This brought back the memory of the dream I had glimpsed in her mind earlier, vaguely wondering if our making love would be as well-synchronized as our potion-brewing.

I was careful not to let my face betray any emotion as I worked, glad that Olivia could not perform deliberate Legilimency.

After we had bottled up all the potions, it was time for Olivia to serve her detention with Moody. I somewhat wished I could get her out of it, as I had done before, but I also knew that it would be good for her. She needed to have some consequences for her actions.

"Good luck," I said to her as she left the classroom.

"Yeah," she said with a heavy sigh. She glanced back at me over her shoulder and smiled half-heartedly.

A few minutes passed, then I decided to take Madam Pomfrey the potions we had brewed. Some of them she hadn't even asked for, but was still immensely pleased.

"I could use your help aren't here, if you aren't too busy," she said to me. I glanced around the hospital wing, which was filled with students with various ailments. I sighed and inclined my head. At least I would be kept busy.

At eight o'clock I slipped away from the Hospital Wing, telling Madam Pomfrey some excuse about having a student who was due to have a detention with me.

Back in my office, I locked the door and sat down at my desk. I took a deep breath and cleared my mind. It was easy for me to find Olivia's mind, even though we weren't in the same room.

She was concentrating hard on what she was writing- _I must learn respect- _but when I slipped into her mind she tensed- then relaxed when she realized it was me, which was almost immediately. Her mind was filled with warmth and affection. I almost lost myself in the emotion, but quickly shut down that part of my brain that wanted to respond to and reciprocate the feeling.

_How is it going? _I asked her mentally, both of us pretending we hadn't just felt what we had.

_Boring_, she responded with an eye roll.

_What is Moody doing?_

She projected an image in her mind for me. Moody was reading a book with his normal eye. His magical eye was on Olivia, who had not ceased writing.

_Good_, I told her.

_May I come see you after my detention? _she asked, feeling shy in her mind.

_I suppose so, _I replied uncertainly, then withdrew from her mind.

It was midnight before Moody let Olivia go. I was half-asleep at my desk when she burst into the room without knocking. She looked highly annoyed and frazzled as she flopped down in her usual chair.

"I hate Moody," she said heavily.

"I know," I said with a small, sympathetic smile, wishing I could cheer her up, "…At least he's not as bad as Lockhart."

"I had almost forgotten about him," she said, smiling, "Lockhart was worse- no contest."

"I agree…although at least Lockhart wasn't allowed to search my office."

"Moody searched your office?" she asked, surprised.

"It was the only way Albus could ease his suspicions," I muttered, "…Paranoid old bat."

She yawned loudly and dragged her chair forward so she could rest her head on my desk. She laid her head on her arms and closed her eyes. I watched her silently a moment, not liking the way my heart fluttered in my chest or the strong urge I had to brush a loose strand of her red hair out of her face. I sighed.

"You should go to bed," I told her, "I'll write you a pass."

She opened one eye and looked up at me.

"I don't wanna go to bed- I'm too tired," she whined.

"All the more reason for you to go to bed," I replied.

"Can't I just stay here?"

I crossed my arms and frowned at her.

"You already know the answer to that question, Olivia."

"Of course," she said, making a face at me, "Prude."

I said nothing but continued to frown.

She smiled affectionately and stood, then stretched and yawned again.

"Alright then. Guess I'll see you tomorrow- and you don't have to write me a pass. Moody already did."

"Right. Goodnight then."

"Goodnight," she said and flashed me that killer smile once more before shutting the door behind her.

Once she was gone, I let out a groan and put my head down on my desk. I had to be more careful, lest my heart betray me.

**Olivia's POV**

On Monday morning when I followed my classmates into the Defense classroom, I calmly sat down in the back of the classroom, next to Daae.

"What've I missed?" I whispered to her.

"We've been studying curses," she whispered in reply, "Particularly the Unforgivable ones. We were to read the entire chapter in the book on them and write an essay."

Moody entered the room then and clunked his way to the front of the classroom. His magical eye fixed itself on me but he said nothing.

"Now," he said to the class at large, "Today's lesson will be a practical one. I know you all must be tired of reading and writing about Unforgivable Curses, so today I'm going to be placing you each under the influence of one."

Everyone glanced around at each other anxiously and murmured to each other. Daae and I exchanged looks, eyebrows raised. She raised her hand.

"Isn't that, like, illegal?" she asked Moody.

"It's for educational purposes. Dumbledore wants you to know what it feels like. If anyone's got a problem with it, they can leave now and take it up with the headmaster."

He looked around at all of us, then focused his mismatched eyes on me in a way that was so obviously a challenge.

I stared calmly, unflinchingly back at him.

"Let's get started then," he barked loudly, "Everyone stand up."

Everyone hastened to stand. With a wave of his wand, Moody cleared the desks. Everyone formed a line, trying not to be at the front.

He ended up calling us alphabetically anyway. I watched as my classmates did odd things under the influence of the Imperius Curse- one hopped around the room like a bunny, another performed cartwheels and yet another croaked like a bullfrog. Then it was my turn.

I stepped up to face Moody, determined not to let him best me. He had an eager look on his massacred face. I could tell he had been saving this lesson for the day I returned to class.

"_Imperio_," he growled.

A lighter than air feeling came over me, like I was floating on a cloud. This only served to sharpen my mind, however, as I knew it was a most unnatural feeling.

_Skip around the room_," said Moody's voice in my head, _And sing 'Mary had a little lamb'._

_No, _I retorted, steeling myself against his willpower, _Why the hell would I do that?_

We fought over it a few minutes, but I succeeded in the end. He lifted the curse and glared at me.

"Damn good job, Cain," he growled, "Someone's been teaching you how to defend yourself. Next."

I couldn't help but smile, feeling very pleased with myself.

After that day, Moody didn't bother me quite so much. I found his classes tolerable, though I missed helping Snape teach the younger students.

As October rolled around, a sign appeared on the bulletin board informing us that the contestants from the other schools would be arriving on the 30th. All around the school, teachers and staff could be found cleaning the castle. The students all chattered excitedly about the upcoming event. Even Snape seemed anxious, though he refused to say what made him so.

On the 30th of October, classes ended half an hour early and the Heads of Houses lined everyone up in the Entrance Hall to go outside and wait on the foreigners to arrive. I walked alongside Snape and once all the students were lined up, I followed him to where the teachers stood. He looked as if he was going to protest, then merely shrugged.

McGonagall and Moody both glared at me, but said nothing after Dumbledore, who stood on Snape's other side, engaged me in conversation.

"Good evening, Olivia. How are you?" he asked, smiling kindly at me.

"Er…good, I guess," I replied, inching closer to Snape. He took a step back.

"Do you plan on entering the Triwizard Tournament?" the headmaster asked.

"No," said Snape before I could respond. I crossed my arms and glared at him.

"We're at odds about that," I said to the headmaster.

"Ah," he said and wisely didn't press the matter.

The sky gradually darkened and still there was no sign of the other students. I sighed.

"What's taking so long?" I complained, "Are we going to be here all night?"

"Stop whining," Snape said and pinched me, "Before I make you go stand with your peers."

"They are _so _not my peers," I muttered, rubbing the spot where he had pinched my arm.

"Aha! Unless I am very much mistaken, the delegation from Beauxbatons approaches!" said Dumbledore loudly. I glanced around, not seeing anything.

"Look up," Snape whispered to me. I glanced up and saw a huge carriage, drawn by several large horses flying through the air.

It landed at a tremendous speed and hit the ground with a large crash that shook the ground. The door of the carriage bore a coat of arms- two golden wands, each emitting three stars. I watched as out walked the largest woman I had ever seen in my life. I doubted she was an inch taller than Hagrid. She was dressed in black sating and had glittering opals around her neck. Several students, all in their late teens, stepped out of the carriage. They were all female and were all dressed in green silk and were shivering. One of them looked familiar to me…

"It's my friend Brandi!" I exclaimed quietly.

"You are friends with a French student?" Snape asked curiously, "How?"

"I met her at the Quidditch World Cup," I replied.

A shadow must have passed over my face as I couldn't help but recall what had happened _after _the World Cup- the feel of Lucius Malfoy's hands on me as he whispered obscenities in my ear. Just the memory made my skin crawl.

Snape put a comforting hand on my shoulder briefly, then quickly removed it as the giant woman came and greeted Dumbledore, her dozen students following her. Her name was Madam Maxime and she spoke in heavily-accented English. Soon she and her students retreated into the warmth of the castle and we were left to wait for the Durmstrang delegations.

It was dark now and cold. The only light came from the Entrance Hall and the stars and moon. I could barely see Snape standing next to me. I inched closer to him and pressed myself against him for warmth. He groaned quietly.

"What're you doing?" he asked softly.

"I'm cold," I murmured, "And you are quite warm."

He entered my mind silently.

_You must not do this. Someone will see, _he said in my mind, attempting to suppress the raging emotions he felt.

_No one will see, _I retorted, _It's too dark. I can barely see you._

_I want you to stop. You are going to get me in trouble._

_That's not what your heart says, _I thought, unable to keep him from hearing this. He withdrew from my mind so sharply it gave me an acute headache.

He took a few steps away from me. I let out a whine of protest.

"I didn't mean-" I began.

"Forget it," he muttered. After a moment he removed his cloak and draped it over my shoulders. I wrapped it around myself. It was still warm from his body heat and it smelled like him. I inhaled deeply and sighed.

A sudden sucking sound filled the night air.

"What _is _that?" I said aloud.

"Look towards the lake," said Dumbledore's voice, closer than expected, causing me to jump. I looked towards the lake in time to see something emerging from the depths- a huge stick that I soon recognized to be the mast of a ship.

The students began to murmur excitedly amongst themselves. Even the teachers were talking.

"Show-offs," I heard Snape snort. Dumbledore chuckled quietly and I imagined he was smiling.

Silhouetted figures emerged from the ship. They all appeared large and bulky at first but as they stepped into the light of the castle, I could see that they all wore thick fur cloaks.

They were led by a tall, thin man who had sleek gray hair and a beard that ended in a little twist. He too wore furs, though his were sleek and grey to match his hair. I seemed to sense a small disruption in the air and I glanced back at Snape, who was watching the man intently, though not with an air of complete dislike.

"Dumbledore!" the man called heartily as he approached us, "How are you, my dear fellow, ho ware you?"

He had a fruity, oily voice.

"Blooming, thank you, Professor Karkaroff," Dumbledore replied brightly.

Dumbledore shook hands with the man, Karkaroff, who then looked up at the castle and smiled.

I couldn't help but notice that his teeth were yellow and, despite the smile, his eyes were cold, if not a little cruel. In fact, his eyes reminded me somewhat of Lucius Malfoy. A little flag went up in my mind- Death Eater.

I glanced back at Snape again, who was still watching the man intensely as he spoke to Dumbledore. Eventually Snape felt my gaze and glanced at me. I looked at him questioningly. With a sigh, he slipped into my mind.

_What_? He asked, irritated.

_Quick question- Karkaroff, Death Eater or not? _I asked silently. He stared at my wordlessly, wondering to himself how I had come to this conclusion. Then he nodded and withdrew from my mind.

By now Karkaroff was leading his student into the castle. The Hogwarts students began to go inside as well. I started to follow, but Snape held me back so that we two were the last in line.

"How _did _you draw that conclusion?" he asked curiously.

"Intuition mostly. …It was his eyes. They remind me of Lucius Malfoy's eyes," I answered quietly, "I suppose Death Eaters all have the same cold eyes."

"…Have I?" he asked.

"Of course not. You actually have a soul in your eyes- theirs are just empty. Your eyes can be kind and sad… I like your eyes."

He looked at me rather queerly and a blushed, then hurried into the Entrance Hall before anything else could be said. Dumbledore stood together with Madam Maxime and Karkaroff, watching the students filing into the Great Hall. As I passed by, I noticed Dumbledore eyeing Snape's cloak, which was still draped around my shoulders. He caught my eye and smiled. I blushed again and hurried into the Great Hall, doubting that anyone else would notice whose cloak I was wearing.

The Durmstrang students chose to sit amongst us Slytherins while most of the Beauxbatons girls joined the Ravenclaw table, after a moment of hesitation. One of the Beauxbaton girls came towards our table, however- it was the girl I had met at the World Cup.

"Bonjour!" she exclaimed, sitting down beside me, "I am glad to know you are alright. What about Mari? And Connie?"

"They are fine," I assured her, "Mari graduated last year, so she isn't here."

"Too bad. She is going to miss all the fun," Brandi replied brightly, "What of you? Are you going to enter?"

"I'm thinking about it… my guardian doesn't want me to," I said, subconsciously clutching the material of Snape's cloak with one hand.

"Ah, the one you have a crush on? I remember Mari told me."

"Shh. Not so loud," I hissed at her, glancing around. No one appeared to be listening.

Daae sat across from us, but her gaze was focused on the staff table, where the headmaster had just gotten to his feet. He made a quick speech welcoming the guests to the castle, then the feast appeared. Dumbledore sat down and was immediately engaged in a conversation with Karkaroff.

"So, which one is he?" Brandi asked eagerly as the nose of the feast filled the hall.

"He's the morose-looking one, dressed in black, sitting a few seats down from the headmaster," I replied without looking up. She turned in her seat to look at the staff table.

"The one with the greasy black hair and the big nose?" she asked. I kicked her underneath the table. I thought I heard Daae giggle but couldn't be sure for when I looked over at her she appeared engrossed in her meal.

"Don't make fun of him. Besides- I think his hair is sexy," I said to Brandi, "…And he has a good heart."

"He doesn't look it," she said, glancing over her shoulder again.

"He likes to intimidate. He doesn't like for people to know he is a good person- actually, he doesn't consider himself a good person, but he is."

When everyone had finished eating, Dumbledore stood to make his speech.

"The moment has come," said Dumbledore, smiling, "The Triwizard Tournament is about to start. I would like to say a few words of explanation before we bring in the casket just to clarify the procedure that we will be following this year. But first, let me introduce, for those who do not know them, Mr. Bartemius Crouch, Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation and Mr. Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports."

There was a round of applause, especially when Ludo Bagman's name was announced. Brandi leaned over and whispered to me.

"He was a famous Quidditch Player back in the day. He was a Beater. You can see where a Bludger broke his nose," she murmured to me.

"Mr. Bagman and Mr. Crouch have worked tirelessly over the past few months on the arrangements for the Triwizard Tournament," Dumbledore continued, "and they will be joining myself, Professor Karkaroff, and Madame Maxime on the panel that will judge the champion's efforts. The casket, then, if you please, Mr. Filch."

The caretaker now approached Dumbledore carrying a great wooden chest that was encrusted with jewels. It looked extremely old and a murmur of excited interest arose from the watching students.

"The instructions for the tasks the champions will face this year have already been examined by Mr. Crouch and Mr. Bagman and they have made the necessary arrangements for each challenge. There will be three tasks, spaced throughout the school year, and they will test the champions in many different ways…their magical prowess-their daring- their powers of deduction- and, of course, their ability to cope with danger," Dumbledore continued. There was a great hush at these final words.

"As you know," Dumbledore went on, "three champions compete in the tournament- one from each school. They will be marked on how well they perform each of the tournament tasks and the champion with the highest total after task three will win the Triwizard Cup. The champions will be chosen by an impartial selector: the Goblet of Fire."

Dumbledore now tapped his wand on the top of the casket and the lid creaked open. He reached in and pulled out a wooden cup, full to the brim with blue-white flames. Dumbledore closed the casket and set the goblet carefully on top of it.

"Anybody wishing to submit themselves as champion must write their name and school clearly upon a slip of parchment and drop it into the goblet. Aspiring champions have 24 hours in which to put their names forward. Tomorrow night, Halloween, the goblet will return the names of the three it has judged most worthy to represent their schools. The goblet will be placed in the entrance hall tonight, where it will be freely accessible to all those wishing to compete. To ensure that no underage student yields to temptation I will be drawing an Age Line around the Goblet of Fire once it had been placed in the entrance hall. Nobody under the age of 17 will be able to cross this line.

"Finally, I wish to impress upon you wishing to compete that this tournament is not to be entered into lightly. Once a champion has been selected by the Goblet of Fire, he or she is obliged to see the tournament through to the end. The placing of your name in the goblet constitutes a binding, magical contract. There can be no change of heart once you have become a champion. Please be very sure, therefore, you are wholeheartedly prepared to play before you drop your name into the goblet. Now, I think it is time for bed. Good night to you all."

As the student began to pour out of the Great Hall, I was curious to see where the Beauxbatons and Durmstrangs would be sleeping. So I donned my Disillusionment Charm and slipped out of the Entrance Hall.

The mystery of the students sleeping places was solved when I saw Karkaroff was leading his boys back to the ship and Madam Maxime was leading the girls out to the giant carriage, which was parked some hundred yards from Hagrid's house. Soon they were all inside, but I hadn't the slightest desire to return to the castle. So I made my way down to the lake and sat in the shadows, looking out over the lake.

It was late when I returned to the castle but instead of heading down to the dungeons, I noticed the door to the Great Hall standing ajar. I noticed a blue-ish white light shining which of course came from the Goblet of Fire. I felt drawn to it so I entered the Great Hall, which was empty. I sat down, staring into the flames of the goblet. I was sorely tempted to put my name in the goblet- I was a skilled witch, more so than any of my classmates, and I could do great things with the 1000-Galleon prize money if I were to win.

On the other hand, Snape didn't want me to compete. He would worry about me and I didn't want to make him worry…unless it made him confess his feelings for me. I knew that he cared for me _and _that he wanted me, but he was in denial.

I was sitting there, pondering these things, when out of the darkness, a hand closed on my shoulder from behind. I jumped up with a yelp and whirled around to face my attacker with my wand drawn.

"Impressive," said Snape in a mildly amused voice- I immediately lowered my wand-, "What are you doing, Olivia?"

"Contemplating," I replied. He tapped me on the top of my head with his wand and I felt my Disillusionment Charm being lifted. Once I was visible, I think we both realized he was standing a lot closer than was necessary, his face less than a foot from my own, though neither of us took a step backwards. To make matters worse he seemed to be starring into my soul with those deep black eyes and all my hormone-ridden mind could think of was how badly I wanted him to kiss me.

**Snape's POV**

I had intended to say something about not wanting her to compete in the Triwizard Tournament but words had failed me. I was gazing unblinkingly into her emerald eyes, thinking about how beautiful she looked, her pale face illuminated by the blue flames, my cloak still around her shoulders. I knew from the yearning look in her eyes that she wanted me to kiss her…but I couldn't.

I blew out a sigh and sat down on one of the benches. This seemed to snap her out of her reverie as well. She sat down beside me, not too close.

"I really don't want you to compete in the tournament," I said quietly, "It's dangerous."

"But I could win," she protested, "…Don't you think I am skilled enough? I'm more advanced than any of my classmates…"

"I don't doubt your abilities, Olivia, but…if something were to happen to you…"

I didn't finish the sentence and was careful not to look at her.

"Severus…" she said softly.

"Besides," I said quickly, "What would you even do with 1,000 Galleons?"

"I'd start my own veterinary clinic in Diagon Alley," she replied eagerly.

My heart felt heavy in my chest- who was I to deny her an attempt to make her dream come true?

"…Do whatever you want, Olivia," I said finally, "…Whatever makes you happy."

"Oh Severus," she said quietly. I think she would have kissed me, had the door to the Great Hall not opened at that moment. We both looked up to see Karkaroff enter the hall with Viktor Krum, his favorite pupil, from what I could tell, and a world-famous Quidditch player.

Both looked surprised to find us there, but Karkaroff smiled at me whereas Krum just scowled.

"Severus," he said warmly, "Good to see you. Didn't expect anyone to be up this late. Viktor here wanted to put his name in before morning so I escorted him up here."

He introduced me to the surly-looking youth who stood alongside him, then Karkaroff peered curiously at Olivia, obviously awaiting an introduction.

"This is Olivia Cain. She's my Potions apprentice- she has a natural talent for it. …She, too wished to put her name in the goblet," I said quickly.

"Excellent, excellent," said Karkaroff dismissively, "Though of course, no one has any chance of beating Viktor."

"We'll just see about that," Olivia replied, smiling sweetly.

"Feisty, aren't you?" he said, looking her over, his icy blue eyes shining eagerly, in a way that I did not like.

"Well, we are off to bed," I announced, placing my hand at the small of Olivia' back and leading her out of the Great Hall, "Goodnight Igor."

"Goodnight Severus. Miss Cain," he said with a smile.

Once we were in the Entrance Hall, I quickly removed my hand. That didn't stop her from glancing at me and smirking. I scowled.

"I don't think I like Karkaroff," she said once we had entered the dungeons.

"I don't blame you. He is not to be trusted. He ratted out several others to keep himself out of Azkaban. He even tried to rat me out, but by that time I was under Dumbledore's protection," I told her, "He has nothing on his mind but his own well-being."

"I didn't much like the way he was looking me over," she said darkly.

"It was no walk in the park for me either," I muttered, though I had not intended to say this aloud.

"If you ask me, I'd say Karkaroff has a thing for Viktor Krum," Olivia remarked with a grin, "Sneaking about at night with him. Putting his name in the goblet, yeah right."

I let out a snort of laughter.

"You have a dirty mind," I said was we reached the hidden entrance to the Common Room.

"Duh," she replied, smiling.

"Off to bed with you."

I started to leave.

"Wait," she said, sounding somewhat reluctant, "Your cloak."

I hesitated a moment.

"Keep it," I said, without really thinking, "I have others."

Then I hurried away before she could make a big deal out of it.

Lying in bed a while later, I realized Olivia was not the only one who had a dirty mind. I found myself fantasizing about what could have happened had I kissed her in the Great Hall, then about what things she could be doing to my cloak…

**Olivia's POV**

I gave the password and made my way into the Common Room, which I expected to find empty. It was not empty, however. Daae was sitting in one of the chairs by the fire. She didn't ask me where I had been, but she did look up at me with a knowing smile.

"That's Professor Snape's cloak, isn't it?" she said to me. I glanced around the Common Room, ensuring that we were alone.

'What of it?" I challenged.

"Nothing," she replied with a shrug, "Nothing wrong with that. It's not like I'm going to tell anyone. I haven't any friends."

This I knew, of course. Daae was like me- she always sat alone at mealtimes and I never saw her speak to anyone.

With a sigh I sat down in another of the chairs.

"Nothing to tell, really," I said to her, "He won't have me."

"Why not?" she asked, surprised, "You're smart, pretty…and you're like the only person in the whole school who is good at Potions."

"He's in denial. He likes me, but refuses to act on it."

"That's a shame. Why not slip him a Love Potion? I bet you could do it."

"I _could_… but if he caught me, he would never speak to me again. Besides, I would much rather have him on his own terms. He has to give in eventually- the things he feels are strong."

"How do you know?" she asked curiously.

"I allow him in my mind- he already knows how I feel about him- and when he is there it is harder for him to hide his feelings."

I wasn't sure why I was telling Daae all of this, except that I felt I could trust her. Besides, with Mari gone, I was in need of a new best friend. Daae and I stayed up for an hour or so, talking, before I retreated to my dorm for the night.

Once I was safely in the dorm, I pulled the curtains around my bed. I pulled the curtains around my bed. I stripped down to just my underwear and crawled in between my green satin sheets. I brought Snape's cloak with me, snuggling up with it and inhaling his scent. I fell asleep imagining he was there with his arms wrapped around me, which of course led to some pretty fantastic dreams.

I woke up the next morning, earlier than I usually would have on a Saturday. I was entwined with Snape's cloak. I yawned and stretched, deeply inhaling his scent. Then I climbed out of bed and dressed in jeans and a black sweater. I folded Snape's cloak and stowed it beneath my pillow before pulling the hangings back from around my bed.

The dormitory was empty, except for a few older girls who were still asleep. I supposed everyone else had gone down to the Great Hall already. The Common Room was practically empty as well. I made my way up to the Great Hall where everyone was. I saw Daae sitting at the Slytherin Table alone, eating breakfast. I went and sat across from her.

"Good morning. Seen anyone put their names in the goblet yet?" I asked her.

"The Durmstrang lot put their names in earlier. Cedric Diggory, from Hufflepuff, put his name in."

"Anyone from Slytherin?"

"Warrington, from the Quidditch team, was in here earlier."

"Oh I remember him, he's an ass. He didn't want me on the team when I was a second-year because I was a girl. He used to try and knock me off my broom during practice."

"You were the best Beater ever. Why did you quit?"

"I missed tryouts one year and they replaced me. They've not had an opening since."

"They've not won since then either," she muttered.

"Hey Olivia!" a voice called. Myself and several other people turned to see Brandi entering the Great Hall, along with several other girls from Beauxbatons who looked at her disdainfully as she skipped over to the Slytherin table and sat down beside me.

"Have you put your name in the Goblet yet?" I asked her as she grabbed a plate and began to load it with food.

"Nah- I've got it here. I'll do it after I eat," she replied, then nodded to Daae, "Hi."

"Hi," Alexandria replied.

"Brandi, this is Alexandria Daae. Alexandria, this is Brandi Baker."

"Daae? Cool. Like the girl from _Phantom of the Opera_?"

Alexandria raised an eyebrow at me and I smiled. I had read the book, too.

"It's a Muggle book- and a movie- and a play," Brandi explained to her.

"You spend a lot of time with Muggles?" Alexandria asked her curiously, "Are you half-blood?"

"No, no. My parents are magic, but I live in Paris. We have a television and I spent a lot of time amongst Muggles."

"Oh, that's cool," Alex said.

"So, have you decided if you're going to put your name in the Goblet, Olivia?" Brandi asked.

"No, I'm not."

"Did Snape tell you not to?"

"No- actually he told me to do whatever makes me happy," I replied, "I'm not going to do it because I don't want to make him worry."

"Aw, that's sweet," Brandi gushed.

"Are you going to put your name in the goblet, Alexandria?" I asked her, quickly changing the subject.

"No way. I don't _want _to be a champion."

Just then there was a loud popping noise. We all looked over at the Goblet of Fire to see Fred and George Weasley flying backwards. When they sat up, they were both sprouting long white beards.

"I did warn you," said a deeply amused voice.

Dumbledore made his way through the crowd of people and told the twins to go to the hospital wing. Brandi was roaring with laughter.

"Man, I wish _we _had a headmaster like Dumbledore," she said, "Madam Maxime probably would have expelled anyone who tried to cross the Age Line."

"Yeah Dumbledore is great," I agreed, "He's a bit of a lunatic, but in a brilliant way. He gave me House points for speaking out against him once. Said it showed courage."

"I keep hearing about the different houses. Can you explain them to me?" Brandi asked, "At Beauxbatons we are all the same."

Alexandria and I spent the rest of the morning explaining the houses to Brandi. After lunch we gave her a tour of the castle, including the Astronomy tower, the kitchens, the Slytherin Common Room, and the Potions classroom.

Snape was sitting at his desk in the Potions classroom when I entered. He looked up from his work and raised an eyebrow at me.

"What are you doing, Olivia?" he asked.

"Alexandria and I are giving Brandi a tour of the castle," I replied.

"Bonjour," Brandi said to him. He studiously ignored her, his eyes only on me.

"Tour elsewhere," he said softly in a would-be dangerous voice, "I'm working."

"Fine," I said coolly, "We'll go check out the lake and maybe the Forbidden Forest."

He said nothing but went back to work, trying to look unconcerned.

I didn't really lead us out to the Forbidden Forest. We walked around the grounds. We saw Hagrid out by his cabin with his Blast-Ended Skrewts which I had seen a few weeks ago when Hagrid was trying to get them to eat lettuce. He asked me to help and I had acquiesced, being curious about the creatures I had never seen before. The Skrewts apparently didn't eat lettuce and I ended up with several bad burns and had to go to the hospital.

Brandi, intrigued, walked up to Hagrid and greeted him before I could warn her.

"What are they?" she asked curiously, "I have never seen creatures such as this."

"They're called Blast-Ended Skrewts," Hagrid told her, "I have them for my fourth year students to take care of. I've never had 'em before, so we've been figuring out what they eat and what they do."

"We never studied them in our Magical Creatures class at Beauxbatons. We've studied unicorns, faeries, pixies, Thestrals, and the like. We even studied centaurs last year. We had a nice centaur come and speak with our class."

Brandi knelt beside the Blast-Ended Skrewts to get a closer look. She touched it curiously and it's end exploded, as they were prone to do.

"Ouch!" she exclaimed, jumping up.

"Ah, yeah, some of them do that. They've got stingers, too," Hagrid said.

Brandi hastily backed away from them.

"Don't forget about the suckers," I added, "To suck blood."

"Hm. No wonder we never studied them at Beauxbatons," she said and walked away. Alexandria and I followed her, leaving Hagrid looking slightly crestfallen.

After we left Hagrid we showed Brandi the greenhouses, where Professor Sprout gave her the grand tour. She even let us water the Venomous Tentacula.

"I'm glad you three are getting along so well," Sprout said when we were about to leave, "That's what this whole tournament is about, you know. Learning about other cultures and making friends."

We returned to the Great Hall for dinner. The whole school was in an air of excitement. We hurried through the extravagantly prepared Halloween feast- the second feast in two days- and were forced to wait until everyone else had finished as well.

"Are those real bats?" Brandi asked, craning her neck towards the ceiling.

"Yep," I replied, my eyes on the flickering blue flames within the goblet of fire.

"What happens to them after the feast?" she asked curiously.

"They are released."

"How do you know?" Alexandria asked me.

"I asked Severus once in my second year. …What's _taking _so long?"

No sooner had the words come out of my mouth, the food vanished off the golden plates. We all exchanged excited looks, then focused our attention on the staff table where Dumbledore had just gotten to his feet.

"Well, the goblet is almost ready to make its decision," said Dumbledore, "I estimate that it requires one more minute. Now, when the champions names are called, I would ask them please to come up to the top of the hall, walk along the staff table, and go through into the next chamber where they will be receiving their first instructions."

Dumbledore took out his wand and gave it a wave. We were plunged into semi-darkness as all the candles save the ones in the Jack O'Lanterns were extinguished. The goblet shone more brightly than anything in the hall.

By the light of its blue-white flames, I could see Snape's face, anxiously watching the goblet of fire. He was probably the most anxious-looking person in the hall.

The flames in the goblet suddenly turned bright red. A tongue of flame shot into the air and a charred piece of parchment fluttered into Dumbledore's outstretched hand.

"The champion for Durmstrang will be Viktor Krum," Dumbledore said clearly.

A storm of applause swept through the hall as Krum slouched up to the front of the hall.

"Bravo, Viktor!" boomed Karkaroff, beaming at his student, "Knew you had it in you."

Soon the cheering died down and everyone focused on the goblet once again. The flames turned red once more and a second piece of parchment shot out.

"The champion for Beauxbatons," Dumbledore began, and Brandi held her breath, "…Is Fleur Delacour."

"Damn," Brandi said, though she clapped along with the rest of us, "Oh well."

The other Beauxbaton girls didn't seem to be taking their loss quite so well. Several of them had burst into tears and were sobbing violently.

Fleur Delacour, an impossibly pretty girl with silvery-blonde hair, made her way to the front of the hall. When she disappeared, silence fell again. I glanced up at Snape- he was sitting on the edge of his seat, his hands clasped in front of him. He looked paler than usual, though I supposed it may have just been from the blue-white light of the goblet.

**Snape's POV**

I had abandoned my attempt to hide my anxiety. I assumed no one could see me in the dark anyway. The Hogwarts champion was the only one left to be announced. I had no way of knowing if Olivia had put her name in the goblet or not. I glanced down at the Slytherin table to see that her eyes were watching, not the goblet, but me. Our eyes met and she smiled. I formed the connection between our minds tentatively.

_I didn't put my name in the goblet if that's what you're worried about_," she informed me.

_Oh. Uh…I wasn't worried, _I lied.

_Right_.

She smiled a little wider and I severed the connection. The flames in the goblet turned red and I sat back in my seat, relieved that there was no chance of her being chosen.

"The Hogwarts champion," Albus said clearly, "Is Cedric Diggory."

There was a tremendous uproar of applause and cheering from the Hufflepuff table and Diggory stood, grinning proudly, and made his way out of the hall.

Most of the Slytherin table looked displeased, no doubt not wanting to be represented by a Hufflepuff, as members of this house were known to be dim-witted and Muggle-born. I was pleased to see Olivia clapping indiscriminately with the rest of the school.

When the cheering finally died down, Albus spoke again.

"Excellent," he said happily, "Well, we now have our three champions. I am sure I can count upon all of you, including the remaining students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, to give your champions every ounce of support you can muster. By cheering your champion on, you will contribute in a very real-"

He stopped abruptly as the flames within the goblet turned red once more.

A fourth piece of parchment shot out and he grabbed it. He stared wordlessly at the parchment for a long time. Everyone in the hall seemed to be holding their breaths. Finally Albus cleared his throat and said-

"Harry Potter."

Angry murmurings quickly filled the hall. My eyes found the boy, who was sitting motionless, shocked, amongst his fellow students, many of whom stared at him with disdain. Minerva quickly got up and began to whisper frantically in Albus' ear. I felt numb with shock and disbelief. I thought I would have nothing to worry about during the Triwizard Tournament!

I took a few deep breaths and calmed myself. Surely Albus wouldn't allow the boy to compete? I glanced down at the headmaster, who was now straightening up.

"Harry Potter," he called and my heart dropped like a stone, "Harry! Up here, if you please."

The boy got to his feet, stumbled, and proceeded to make his way to the top of the hall.

"Well…through the door, Harry," Albus said to him, not smiling. Potter obeyed mindlessly.

Ludo Bagman stood somewhat excitedly and hastened through the door as well. Albus quieted the students, then dismissed them, and he, Madam Maxime, Karkaroff, Crouch, Minerva, Moody and myself continued into the next chamber.

The three champions and Potter were standing in the middle of the room along with Ludo Bagman. I made my way into the most shadowed part of the room as we all entered. I was determined to remain silent and listen to whatever Albus had to say. All of the students looked bewildered. Fleur Delacour was outraged.

"Madame Maxime," said Fleur at once striding over to her headmistress, "Zey are saying zat zis little boy is to compete also!"

"What is ze meaning of zis, Dumbly-dorr?" Madame Maxime asked imperiously.

"I'd rather like to know that myself, Dumbledore," said Professor Karkaroff with a steely smile, "_Two _Hogwarts champions? I don't remember anyone telling me the host school is allowed two champions- or have I not read the rules carefully enough?"

He gave a short, nasty laugh.

"_C'est impossible,_" said Madame Maxime, " 'Ogwarts cannot 'ave two champions. It is most injust."

"We were under the impression that your Age Line would keep out younger contestants, Dumbledore," said Karkaroff, "Otherwise, we would, of course, have brought along a wider selection of candidates from our own schools."

"It's no one's fault but Potter's, Karkaroff," I said, unable to help myself, "Don't go blaming Dumbledore for Potter's determination to break rules. He h as been crossing lines ever since he arrived here-"

"Thank you, Severus," Albus said firmly. I immediately fell silent but glared at Potter. No doubt he had put his name in, wanting even more fame and attention than he already had. He was a rule-breaker, just like his wretched father.

Albus turned to Harry.

"Did you put your name into the Goblet of Fire, Harry?" he asked calmly.

"No," said Potter quickly. I made a scathing noise of disbelief.

"Did you ask an older student to put it into the Goblet of Fire for you?" said Dumbledore, ignoring me.

"_No_," said Potter vigorously.

"Ah, but of course 'e is lying!" cried Madame Maxime.

"He could not have crossed the Age Line," said Minerva sharply, "I am sure we all agreed on that-"

"Dumbly-dorr must 'ave made a mistake wiz ze line," said Madame Maxime with a shrug.

"It is possible, of course," said Albus politely.

"Dumbledore, you know perfectly well you did not make a mistake!" said Minerva angrily, "Really, what nonsense! Harry could not have crossed the line himself, and as Professor Dumbledore believes that he did not persuade an older student to do it for him, I'm sure that should be good enough for everybody else!"

She shot a very angry look at me and I sneered at her, but stayed silent.

"We must follow the rules of, and the rules state clearly that those people whose names come out of the Goblet of Fire are bound to compete in the tournament," said Crouch from the other side of the room.

"Well, Barty knows the rule book back to front," said Bagman, beaming as though the matter were now closed.

"I insist upon resubmitting the names of the rest of my students. You will set up the Goblet of Fire once more, and we will continue adding names until each school has two champions. It's only fair Dumbledore," said Karkaroff.

"But Karkaroff, it doesn't work like that," said Bagman, "The Goblet of Fire's just gone out- it won't re-ignite until the start of the next tournament-"

"-in which Durmstrang will most certainly not be competing!" exploded Karkaroff, "After all our meetings and negotiations and compromises, I little expected something of this nature to occur! I have half a mind to leave now!"

"Empty threat, Karkaroff. You can't leave your Champion now. He's got to compete. They've all got to compete. Binding Magical contract, like Dumbledore said. Convenient, eh?" Growled Moody's voice from where he stood in the doorway.

He limped, clunking, towards the fireplace.

"Convenient?" said Karkaroff coolly, "I'm afraid I don't understand you, Moody."

His hands were balled into fists.

"Don't you? It's very simple, Karkaroff," Moody said softly, "someone put Potter's name in that goblet knowing he would have to compete if it came out."

"Evidently, someone 'oo wished to give 'Ogwarts two bites at ze apple!" said Madame Maxime.

"I quite agree, Madame Maxime," said Karkaroff, bowing to her, "I shall be lodging complaints with the Ministry of Magic _and _the International Confederation of Wizards-"

"If anyone's got reason to complain, it's Potter," growled Moody, "But…funny thing… I don't hear _him _saying a word."

"Why should 'e complain?" burst out the Delacour girl, stamping her foot, "'E 'as ze chance to compete, 'asn't 'e? We 'ave all been 'oping to be chosen for weeks and weeks! Ze honor for out schools! A thousand Galleons in prize money - zis is a chance many would die for!"

I couldn't help but agree with her.

"Maybe someone is hoping Potter _is _going to die for it," said Moody with a slight growl.

The thought was unnerving. A strained silence met his words. I glanced at Albus and his gaze met mine silently. His eyes seemed troubled.

"Moody, old man…what a thing to say!" said Bagman nervously.

"We all know Professor Moody considers the morning wasted if he hasn't discovered six plots to murder him before lunchtime," said Karkaroff loudly, "Apparently he is now teaching his students to fear assassination, too. An odd quality in a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Dumbledore, but no doubt you had your reasons."

"Imagining things, am I?" Moody growled, "Seeing things, eh? It was a skilled witch or wizard who put the boy's name in that goblet…"

"Ah, what evidence is zere of zat?" Madame Maxime asked, throwing up her hands.

"Because they hoodwinked a very powerful magical object!" said Moody, "It would have needed an exceptionally strong Confundus Charm to bamboozle that goblet into forgetting that only three schools compete in the tournament…I'm guessing they submitted Potter's name under a fourth school, to make sure he was the only one in his category…"

"You seem to have given this a great deal of thought, Moody," said Karkaroff coldly, "and a very ingenious theory it is- though of course, I heard you recently got it into your head that one of your birthday presents contained a cunningly disguised basilisk egg, and smashed it to pieces before realizing it was a carriage clock. So you'll understand if we don't take you entirely seriously…"

"There are those who'll turn innocent occasions to their advantage," Moody retorted in a menacing voice, "It's my job to think the way Dark wizards do, Karkaroff- as you ought to remember…"

"Alastor!" Dumbledore said warningly. Karkaroff's face was burning and Moody looked satisfied.

"How this situation arose we do not know," said Dumbledore to everyone, "It seems to me, however, that we have no choice but to accept it. Both Cedric and Harry have been chosen to compete in the tournament. This, therefore, they will do…"

"Ah, but Dumbly-dorr-"

"My dear Madame Maxime if you have an alternative I would be delighted to hear it."

I was somewhat furious. I thought for sure Albus would not allow him to compete! We both did everything we could to protect the boy! Now Albus was blatantly allowing him to compete in a tournament dozens had died in!

"Well, shall we crack on, then?" Bagman said excitedly, "Got to give our champions their instructions, haven't we? Barty, want to do the honors?"

"Yes," said Crouch, "instructions. Yes…the first task…"

After Potter and Diggory left, I exited into the Great Hall as well.

"I would ask you and Minerva to meet me in my office later, Severus," Albus said before I left.

"Of course, headmaster," I replied.

My mind was on Potter and the tournament and particularly Moody's chilling opinion as I crossed the Great Hall, planning to go straight to Albus' office. I nearly jumped out of my skin when a voice said-

"Oi, Severus!"

I whirled around to see Olivia, who was sitting atop one of the tables, removing her Disillusionment Charm.

"You shouldn't be in here! What if Moody had come out before me? Or Albus?"

"Dumbledore likes me. Now, if you're done fussing at me like a nanny?"

I was unable to keep myself from blushing. I scowled at her and led her out of the Great Hall.

"What happened?" she asked curiously, "Is Potter going to compete?"

"He hasn't got a choice. There's a binding magical contract or some such nonsense," I muttered darkly.

I accompanied her slowly down to the hidden entrance of the Slytherin Common Room and, after some badgering form her, I recounted the evens that had occurred within the chamber off the hall.

"…Do you think Moody is right then?" she asked me.

We had reached the hidden entrance and she leaned against the wall.

"I don't know," I muttered, "I know Potter wasn't lying - his mind told me so- but who could have entered him?"

"Well it's not like this is the first time someone has tried to kill Potter. …What about Karkaroff? He could have done it last night."

"If he did, then he is a very good actor. He seemed furious."

"Acting is easy," she remarked.

I was silent a moment.

"I'm supposed to meet with Albus. You should go to bed."

"Fine. Goodnight Severus."

I inclined my head to her, turned, and left the dungeons.

Minerva was already there when I reached Albus' office. He was standing over his basin of Pensieve. a frown etched in every line of his face. At his request, I shut the door behind myself and the three of us were alone.

"Well," he said without looking at us, 'What do you think?"

"I believe you already know my opinion," I said stiffly, "…The boy should not be allowed to compete. He is too young."

"For once, I agree with Severus. …I don't see that we have a choice, however," Minerva said curtly.

"There are always choices," Albus said, still not looking at us, "However, I think it best he faces things head on, rather than run for it, as would be the cowardly thing to do. Perhaps it is best to let things unfold as they will…"

"But the first task!" I protested, "_Dragons_, Albus? How can a fourteen-year-old boy battle a dragon?"

"Harry is a brilliant boy. I'm sure he will figure something out," he replied. I made a scoffing noise. I wanted to tell him how I felt- that he had signed the boy's death sentence- but I remained silent.

"Have either of you given a thought as to who could have put Harry's name into the goblet?"

Minerva shrugged.

"…What about Karkaroff?" I said without thinking.

"His name is one that has crossed my mind," Albus agreed, "But he is not the only one. If it was he, he did a good job acting outraged. …No, I do not think he would risk it with Alastor so close by."

"Then who?" I asked.

"I'm afraid," he said, "That I have not the faintest idea."

**Olivia's POV**

The next morning at breakfast, everyone kept looking at the door to the Great Hall every time it opened, hoping for a glimpse of Potter. The Slytherin table was without a doubt one of the most loud and verbally abusive of the fourth champion. Personally, I felt somewhat bad for Potter. He hadn't put his name in the goblet and, from what I gathered from Snape, Dumbledore was concerned someone was trying to kill him.

I sat at the end of the table with Alexandria who seemed unconcerned by he selection of the fourth champion. When the Beauxbaton girls came into the hall for breakfast, Brandi bounded over to us, her blue eyes shining in excitement.

"I have decided something," she said loudly, sitting down across from me, grinning.

"Congratulations," I replied sarcastically, but not unkindly.

"What's up?" Alexandria asked her.

"I am going to transfer to Hogwarts!" she exclaimed, "…If Professor Dumbledore will let me, that is."

"That's awesome," I said, also grinning, "I'm sure he will let you. What about Madame Maxime?"

"Psh. She cannot stop me. My parents already gve me permission- I only have one year left anyway and I've always wanted to study abroad."

"That's awesome. …You should go talk to the headmaster after breakfast."

"How?"

"We'll go see Severus," I said certainly, "He'll help us."

"Are you sure?" she asked anxiously, "He seemed kinda unpleasant the other day. I do not think he likes me."

"He pretends not to like anybody, but really he's not all that bad," I insisted.

"If you say so," she said doubtfully.

After a hurried breakfast, my friends followed me down into the dungeons to Snape's office. I knocked on the door.

"What do you want, Olivia?" he said in a tired voice. I opened the door and approached his desk fearlessly. Alex and Brandi hung back in the doorway, seeming reluctant to cross the threshold. Snape glanced past me at them, then raised an eyebrow at me.

"Brandi needs to talk to Dumbledore," I said to him.

"So?" he responded.

I glanced over my shoulder at my friends- they looked put off. I looked back at Snape, glared, and crossed my arms. A second later he entered my mind.

_You owe me, _I said to him, _I passed on the opportunity to enter the Triwizard Tournament so that _you _wouldn't worry about me. _

He withdrew from my mind.

"Fine," he said, surly. He stood up and motioned for us to follow him. My friends and I exchanged grins that went unnoticed by him as he led us out of the dungeons.

"Why does she need to speak with the headmaster?" he asked me as we ascended the Grand Staircase.

"She wants to transfer to Hogwarts," I replied simply, "Do you think he will let her?"

Snape glanced over his shoulder at her, then looked back at me.

"It has been done before," he said, "Your friend Mari's sister transferred to Beauxbatons from Hogwarts."

When we reached the headmaster's office, Snape gave the password to the stone griffin and we followed him up the stairs. H knocked on the door.

"Come in, Severus," said Dumbledore's voice pleasantly. Snape opened the door and entered the room. Dumbledore, who was sitting at his desk, smiling, a smiled a little wider when he saw Snape was being tailed by three teenage girls. Snape scowled at us and at him.

"One of them wants to talk to you," he muttered.

We stepped forward. I nodded to Brandi who shook her head frantically. I looked up at Dumbledore and smiled.

"Brnadi wants to know if it's possible for her to transfer to Hogwarts," I said to him.

"Is this true, Miss Butler?" he asked her.

She looked embarrassed that he knew her name.

"Yes sir," she said quietly, not at all her usual hyper self.

"Have you discussed your decision with Madame Maxime?"

"No sir…but my parents gave me permission. I have only one year of school left and I am curious to see what Hogwarts has to teach me."

"Indeed. I shall have to discuss it with Madame Maxime of course, but I am sure she can be persuaded. I will speak with Mr. Crouch and have him draw up the transfer papers and whatnot. He is the Head of International Magical Cooperation. Then we can see about getting you Sorted. I trust you do not want to be Sorted in front of the whole school?"

"No sir," she said, blushing, "…but I would like for my friends to be there…and Professor Snape."

Snape looked startled but said nothing.

"Very well," Dumbledore said, "I am sure that we can arrange a small ceremony for you."

He dismissed us after that but asked that Snape remain a moment longer. I followed my friends out of the headmaster's office but paused when we reached the hallway.

"I'm going to wait for Severus, okay? I'll see you guys at lunch," I said to them.

"Okay," Alexandria said.

"Later Liv," Brandi replied brightly.

I watched my friends disappear around the corner, then sat down with my back against the wall to wait for Snape.

It was about ten minutes before he came out of the headmaster's office. He didn't look surprised to find me waiting for him. I grabbed hold of his cloak like a barnacle attaches itself to a whale and followed him down the stairs.

"So?" I said, tugging on his cloak, "What'd Dumbledore say?"

"He told me to go find Madame Maxime and request that she comes to his office," he replied.

"Cool. Can I come?"

"Aren't you just going to follow me anyway, even if I say no?"

"Probably," I replied lightly.

He paused long enough to slap my hand away, then continued down the stairs.

"Why does your friend want me at her Sorting?" he asked as we left the castle.

"She likes you," I said with a shrug.

"Great," he muttered, "As if one teenage girl fawning over me isn't bad enough? Now there's a whole flock."

"She doesn't _like _you, like you," I said, rolling my eyes," And I don't _fawn _over you… You did mean me, right?"

"Do you see any _other _sixteen-year-old girl who doesn't have the common sense enough to know to stay away from me?"

"No," I said lightly, "…and I'm almost seventeen."

"I am well aware," he said indifferently, "Not that it makes a difference."

"Hmph."

We made our way out to where the Beauxbatons carriage was parked and Snape knocked on the door. The door was opened by a short girl with long black hair and brown eyes.

"We are looking for Madame Maxime," I said to her.

"_Elle est avec Monsieur Hagrid_," she replied.

"_Merci_," I said.

The girl shut the door and we made for Hagrid's cottage.

"Well," said Snape, "Who would have thought? Hagrid and Madame Maxime."

"Let's hope they never reproduce. Any baby of theirs would weigh as much as a baby elephant."

An amused smile twitched at the corners of his mouth as he knocked on the door.

Hagrid opened the door. Madame Maxime could be seen sitting behind him at a table, a large mug of what was presumably tea in her giant hands. The part of Hagrid's face which was not obscured by his bushy beard blushed bright red.

"The headmaster wishes to speak with Madame Maxime in his office," Snape said with a faint sneer.

"Ah, Dumbly-dorr. _Marci Monsieur_," said Madame Maxime, "And thank you for tea, Monsieur Hagrid."

Snape smirked as he stepped aside and Madame Maxime hurried out, blushing. Hagrid quickly shut the door.

"You're so mean," I said, smiling at Snape.

"I try," he replied, "…Do you want to go into the forest to harvest ingredients?"

"When do I not?" I replied, still grinning.

It was almost a week before Brandi told us Dumbledore had arranged her transfer.

"Madame Maxime was not happy at first," Brandi told Alexandria and I one morning at breakfast, "But there wasn't much she could so about it. I had a meeting with Mr. Crouch and Dumbledore yesterday evening to sign transfer papers. Professor Dumbledore said I can get Sorted tonight at eight o'clock. You'll both come, won't you?"

"Of course," I declared and Alexandria nodded her agreement.

"And you'll tell Professor Snape, won't you?" she asked me.

"Definitely."

I went down to Snape's classroom after my last class of the day. He was cleaning up from his last class and grading the potions they had let behind. I proceeded to help him clean up.

"Brandi is going to get Sorted tonight," I said casually.

"I'm aware. Dumbledore told me."

"Are you actually going to come?"

"Unfortunately, I have to. Dumbledore wants all the Heads of Houses there."

"Good. I thought perhaps you wouldn't go."

"…I might've gone anyway," he said after a moment. I smiled at him and he ducked into the supply cupboard to put up some usable ingredients that students had left behind.

I stayed with Snape until eight o'clock, then we left the dungeons together and headed upstairs to Dumbledore's office.

The headmaster smiled at us when we entered together. Snape and I exchanged glances. He scowled and I rolled my eyes then smiled back at Dumbledore. The Sorting Hat was sitting on a stool in the center of the room. It looked even older and more tattered than I remembered it.

Dumbledore was sitting at his desk. He wore robes of deep blue and looked very formal. Snape sat down in one of the chairs in front of the headmaster's desk. I remained standing, looking curiously at the Sorting Hat.

"You may place it on your head, if you like," Dumbledore said good-naturedly. Snape turned to watch me, looking somewhat curious as I lifted the Hat tentatively and placed it on my head.

_Hello Miss Snape_, said the Hat's voice in my ear. My heart jumped in my chest.

_What did you call me_? I asked, startled.

_Olivia Snape_, replied the Hat.

_Why?_

_He adopted you. He is your legal guardian. If you wanted to, you could take his surname._

_Well I don't want to_, I snapped.

_Right_ said the Hat, sounding sarcastic, _Don't forget, I can read what's in your mind…and so can _he…

_Point taken, _I thought, _Goodbye Hat…_

I started to remove it from my head.

_Wait- a word of advice for you, Miss Olivia,_ said the Hat.

_What_? I snapped.

_The thing he hates the most is seeing you hurt OR seeing you sad. Use that to your advantage._

_That's rather sneaky, isn't it? _I asked with a grin.

_I placed you in Slytherin for a reason._

I removed the Hat from my head, still grinning. Snape was still looking at me curiously. Our eyes met and he attempted to enter my mind. I blocked him lightly and he nodded at me, respecting the fact that I didn't want to share.

There was a knock at Dumbledore's door and I quickly placed the Hat on the stool and went to stand by the window. McGonagall, Sprout, and Flitwick came in when the headmaster bade them enter. He greeted all three of them, who greeted him in return. McGonagall nodded to Snape. Her eyes flicked to me but she said nothing.

"Has Miss Baker not arrived yet?" Flitwick asked, "It's getting close to eight o' clock."

"Where is Miss Baker, Olivia?" McGonagall asked me.

"I don't know. I didn't come up with her," I said, somewhat startled, "I think Alexandria Daae was coming with her."

"Is it possible they may be waiting for you, Olivia?" Dumbledore asked me, smiling kindly.

"Possibly…I'll go see if I can find them?"

He nodded. I started for the door.

"I'll go with her, headmaster. In case they have been detained by a teacher," Snape said, standing. I glanced back at him and Dumbledore nodded to him. I left the room and Snape followed.

"So what did the Sorting Hat say to you?" he asked as we headed downstairs.

"Nothing important."

He glanced at me curiously but didn't push the matter.

We met Alexandria and Brandi coming up the stairs.

"There you are," Brandi said, "We tried to wait on you."

"Oh. My bad. I went up with Severus," I said.

Snape made a scoffing noise.

"What?" I asked. He just shook his head.

"They are waiting on you," Snape said to her.

Brandi and Alexandria hurried up the stairs. Snape and I followed but hung back a bit to talk.

"What?" I asked him again.

"…I don't mind if you call me by my first name, but don't do it in front of other students," he said quietly, "Or other teachers."

I considered this a moment.

"Yes Professor," I said with a smirk. He caught my eye and I couldn't suppress a giggle.

"Come on Olivia," said Brandi from where she and Alex had already reached the entrance to Dumbledore's office.

Snape and I caught up with them, then he gave the password and we all went inside.

We all stood around the stool where Brandi sat nervously as McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on her head. The headmaster had said some things, but I was scarcely paying attention. I was studying Snape, who was studiously ignoring me, looking bored and disinterested, as if he could care less whose House she ended up in. McGonagall, Flitwick and Sprout were all watching anxiously, eagerly awaiting the Hat's decision.

After about five minutes, the Hat opened its mouth wide and announced "SLYTHERIN!"

Everyone clapped though the other Heads of Houses did so somewhat begrudgingly.

"Saw that coming," McGonagall muttered to Flitwick, who nodded his agreement.

"Congratulations, Miss Butler," Dumbledore said good-naturedly, "You are now an official member of Slytherin House. Professor Snape will meet with you and arrange your schedule, and discuss possibilities for you to get your school things."

"Yes headmaster," Snape said, sounding less than enthused.

Snape, Brandi, Alexandria and I left the headmaster's office a short while later.

"I suppose you should accompany me to my office, Miss Butler, so we can discuss what classes you are to take," Snape said as we walked down the stairs.

"Can I come?" I asked eagerly.

He nodded wordlessly.

"Can Alexandria come, too?" Brandi asked.

"Sure, why not?" Snape muttered, "Invite the whole damn school."

I grinned at my friends and they smiled back.

When we reached Snape's office he pulled out his wand to draw up chairs for all of us. While he did this, I went and sat in his chair and put my feet up on his desk. My friends giggled and Snape turned to look at me. I smiled innocently and got up. He glared and pretended to be angry with me, but I could tell he wasn't really.

I sat in the middle chair of the three he had summoned for us. I hung my feet over the arm of the chair and leaned my back against the other arm of the chair.

Snape talked with Brandi for a while about her classes and her career goal which, I found out, was to become an artist. I was half-asleep when they finally decided they were done.

"Awesome," I said and took Brandi's schedule from Snape as he tried to hand it to her. I scanned it quickly.

"Hey - we have Potions together. And Transfiguration and Care of Magical Creatures- I don't have any friends in that class," I said, glancing pointedly at Alex.

"That's because no one in their right _mind _would want to take NEWT-level classes with Hagrid. I'm surprised he hasn't brought a _dragon _to class yet," Alex said, rolling her eyes.

"That would be freakin sweet!" I exclaimed, handing Brandi her schedule, "Too bad Dumbledore would never let him get away with it."

"How am I to get my school supplies?" Brandi asked, looking at Snape.

"For now you can use second-hand materials. Saturday I can accompany you to get you things," he said stiffly.

"You have _got _to let me come, too," I said enthusiastically.

"I have not _got _to let you do anything," he said coolly.

"Uh…What I mean was- may I please come, too, Professor?" I said in my sweet little girl voice.

Brandi snickered and Alexandria grinned. Snape sighed.

"Whatever. Daae, you may as well come, too. I don't care."

"Yay!" I said and we all grinned.

"Now off to bed with you all. Miss Butler, you'll be staying in the Slytherin dormitories from now on. I will write you all a pass."

We all three stood to go. Snape wrote a pass for Alex and one for Brandi. He waited until they had left and shut the door behind themselves before he crossed his arms and glared at me. I sat back down and assumed an innocent expression.

"I do not appreciate being de-authoritized in front of your little friends," he said.

"Is that even a word?"

"Yes," he snapped.

I was still pretty sure it wasn't a word but didn't push it.

"Well I'm not undermining your authority, Severus. I'm just playing. Besides- they are my friends. We talk about you all the time. They already know all about you."

"Wh- like what?" he asked, frowning.

"Like how you secretly aren't really bitchy and spiteful. And how you do nice things, like make me breakfast and save Potter and his nerdy friends from werewolves."

"Olivia-" he said warningly.

"Just kidding. I know I'm not allowed to talk about how you love Potter."

"I don't _love _Potter."

"Then why do you save his life? Like last year…and when I was a second year, you saved him from Quirrel."

"Only because Dumbledore expects me to. That doesn't mean I like Potter…or you, for that matter."

"Liar," I said with a grin. He scribbled out a pass and thrust it at me.

"Maybe…but only about the last part."

I smiled.

"Goodnight, _Professor_."

"Goodnight Olivia."


	23. Year 6 Chapter 8

**Author's Note: **Sorry it took so long guys. I've had a lot going on. I've been under a lot of stress and have a wretched stomach ulcer. I was given a day off work and school by a doctor. How awesome is that? I was basically prescribed to come home and write fanfiction! :-D I won't keep you waiting, here's the next chapter! And thanks for all the Reviews!

~LittleReporterGirl

**Snape's POV**

I wasn't entirely sure how I had managed to let myself get caught up in accompanying three girls to Diagon Alley, but I hated myself for it. Any of them alone was okay, but together they were giggly and annoying. Plus Olivia always seemed cockier when her friends were around. As if that weren't bad enough, I found it strangely attractive.

Albus had laughed at me when I told him I was going to take all three of them to Diagon Alley.

"That's very uncharacteristic of you, Severus," he said, smiling, "…Though perhaps not. You are doing it as a nice thing for Olivia, aren't you?"

I shifted uncomfortably. "…I s'pose," I muttered, "Then I couldn't very well let her go and not let their third friend go, the Daae girl."

Albus chuckled.

"What?" I asked moodily.

"Just picturing you skulking down Diagon Alley with three teenage girls following you."

"Hmph. I'm leaving them as soon as we get there. I'll go to the Leaky Cauldron or something and let them do their own shopping."

"Of course you will," he said lightly.

Saturday morning as I was walking up to breakfast, I noticed the door to the Potions classroom was ajar and the light was on. I tensed at first, thinking it was Moody or a student breaking in. Then I relaxed - I knew who it was more likely to be.

I entered the classroom and saw the door to the supply cupboard was open and Olivia was standing there - she had a notebook in one hand, a pencil tucked behind her ear, and was rifling through a box with her other hand, counting. I found myself thinking she looked rather cute and I caught myself almost smiling.

"What are you doing, Olivia?" I asked, leaning against the door frame. She glanced over her shoulder at me, startled.

"What? Oh, it's you. I'm counting these griffin claws."

"Why?"

"I figured if we were going to be taking a trip to Diagon Alley we'd end up going to the Apothecary and we may as well stock up, right?"

I caught myself starting to smile again but stopped myself.

"Well…I didn't ask you to," I said, walking over to the store cupboard.

"Whatever," she said coolly and handed me the notebook where she had been taking stock. She started for the door.

"Wait," I said to her, "…Why don't I take stock and you can write it down?"

She smiled slightly and nodded her head. She came and took the notebook back from me and sat down while I picked up where she left off.

My mind wandered during the task of taking stock and I kept having to recount. I kept stealing glances at her. She was gazing off into nothingness with a dreamy look on her face. Her long red hair was in a ponytail. She was wearing Muggle-jeans, a green cashmere sweater, and boots. I felt compelled to say something to her.

"…You really are a good apprentice," I said without really thinking. Se looked at me and smiled. I quickly turned back to the supply cabinet.

"Thanks," she said.

I didn't trust myself to say anything else.

When we finished taking stock of ingredients, Olivia and I went up to the Great Hall together. Most everyone was already there and eating breakfast, including Dumbledore who saw us come in together and smiled at us. Olivia waved back cheerfully.

"I'll meet you and your friends in my office in two hours," I said before we parted ways.

"Okay Severus," she said.

I ate breakfast without speaking to anyone, then returned to my office to await the girls. When they arrived I was already ready to go, standing by the fireplace with a pouch of Floo Powder. All three were dressed in Muggle clothes but had on Slytherin scarves and gloves. Olivia was wearing the cloak that I had given to her. She saw me looking at it and smiled secretively. I smirked slightly.

"I'm assuming you are all ready to go?" I asked the girls. They all nodded.

"Olivia," I said, holding the pouch out to her. She took a handful of glittering green powder, tossed it into the fire, then stepped into the emerald flames.

"Diagon Alley," she said clearly. I handed the bag to Daae next, then to the Butler girl. I went last, stepping into the warmth of the flames.

When I stepped out of the fireplace into the Leaky Cauldron, all three girls were crowded around the fireplace, waiting for me. I wiped my feet on the rug and looked down into their expectant faces.

"You three go do whatever shopping you have to do. Butler, you have your supply list? Very well. I will be here if you need me."

To my surprise, all three of them looked disappointed.

"You can't leave us S- _Professor_," Olivia said. "We're girls. We could get like, attacked or…something."

"We could get raped," added Butler.

I couldn't help but think of what had happened at the World Cup and felt my face pale. Olivia noticed and guessed what I was thinking about.

"Bad things happen when you leave me alone," she said with a face I knew I couldn't say no to.

"Fine," I muttered, "Let's get this over with."

They all three grinned and I led the way out of the pub, to Diagon Alley.

I followed the girls around to different shops. I tried to lag behind but Olivia kept doubling back to engage me in conversation and walk alongside me. She was doing it to be nice, but I rather wished she would just leave me alone.

I waited outside while the three of them went inside Madam Malkin's to get Butler a set of Hogwarts robes. After a minute, Olivia came back out and sat beside me on the bench.

"You're not having fun, are you?" she asked.

I merely shrugged indifferently.

"You don't have to stay with us if you don't want to. You can go back to the Leaky Cauldron, I guess."

"I'll stay…if you want me to."

She said nothing but looked at me and sort of smiled before looking away again.

Her friends came out of the shop a moment later, both carrying bags.

"There you two are. Come Olivia- all that's left is Potions ingredients," said Butler.

"The Apothecary!" she said excitedly, standing up, "Let's go!"

Smiling slightly I stood and followed the three of them - Olivia was practically skipping - to the Apothecary. Once we got there, she and I were like-minded, going around to every box, barrel, jar or vial, discussing such things as did we _really _need that many porcupine quills and whether or not Sprout had this or that herb growing in the greenhouses. Eventually, her friends got bored and said they were going to the shop next door. I glanced down at Olivia who was standing beside me. She nodded absently to the girls and waved them on, more concerned with picking the best Jobberknoll feathers from a box on a shelf.

I allowed myself to smile a little half-smile as the girls left, then I began to accumulate the ingredients we needed that I knew grossed Olivia out, like rat tails and other animal parts.

After we were satisfied- which took a good hour or more- we left the Apothecary. Daae and Butler were sitting on a bench outside of a candy shop, eating chocolates and talking.

"You guys ready?" Olivia asked them.

"Are _we _ready? You're the ones that spent _hours _looking at Potions ingredients," said Butler.

"It's a delicate selection process," Olivia defended, "You have to pick the best ingredients. And it was only an hour."

"You're obsessed- both of you," Butler declared.

Olivia and I exchanged glances and I looked away again quickly. I was reminded of a time, a _long _time ago, when one of Lily's girlfriends had said the same thing to us. We had been in our second year of school and had spent weeks of our free time experimenting with Amortentia - and we'd had a good laugh slipping it into various teacher's tea and watching the outcome.

I said nothing but started down the street towards the Leaky Cauldron. The girls eventually fell in line behind me, talking amongst themselves about chocolate and how the assistant at Flourish and Blott's had been flirting with Butler and whether or not some guy at the sweetshop had been giving Daae "the look" …whatever that meant.

It was enough to give anyone an eye twitch and I was glad when we were all back at Hogwarts. Olivia waved her friends off and she and I went to the Potions classroom to re-stock the supply cupboard.

**Olivia's POV**

The date of the first task of the Triwizard Tournament approached faster than I would have thought. The Saturday before the task students were allowed to visit Hogsmeade. I was actually planning on going, since Brandi hadn't been to the village yet, but as we sat at breakfast on Saturday morning, a tiny owl alighted on the table before me with a note in his beak.

"Aw, he's so adorable," I gushed, touching the soft feathers of the owl who was so impossibly tiny he had to be a baby. I took the note and unfolded it, still stroking the little owl.

_Olivia, _

_If you are not going to Hogsmeade, meet me down by the lake at noon. I have something to show you. It will definitely be worth it. Wear your Disillusionment Charm._

He hadn't signed it but the handwriting was definitely Snape's. I folded the note and shoved it in my pocket before looking up at the staff table to see him looking at me. I nodded my head and smiled. He looked away quickly.

"Looks like I won't be going to Hogsmeade," I said to my friends, still smiling.

"What, why not?" Alexandria asked, looking up from her breakfast.

"Snape wants me."

"Ooh la la!" Brandi said, grinning mischievously.

"Not like _that_," I said, smiling, "He has something to show me."

"I wonder what it is," Alexandria said, glancing up towards the staff table.

"Probably something to do with Potions," Brandi said dismissively.

"_Boring_," Alex said.

"Oh whatever. It _could _be something important. Something secret," I said.

"Right," Brandi said, rolling her eyes.

When we finished eating breakfast, the three of us went down to the Common Room. We worked on our Herbology essays, then I followed them down to the Entrance Hall where everyone was lining up to go to Hogsmeade. I waved goodbye somewhat reluctantly to my friends as they left. Still, I knew whatever Snape had planned would be far more interesting than the village. I wished he would have waited until a different weekend though. The one time I actually _wanted _to go to Hogsmeade he had something to show me.

I mulled around until almost noon, then cast my Disillusionment charm and left the castle, invisible. It was rather cold outside and there were hardly any people out on the grounds. The sky was overcast and cloudy.

I made my way down to the lake, only to find Snape was not there yet. I ended up waiting almost 20 minutes and was sitting on the ground, my back against a tree, when he finally came walking down from the castle.

"What took you? You said noon. You are usually very precise."

"Filch detained me. He wanted to talk about something."

"Oh. Lame. So, what is it you're going to show me?"

He smiled ever so briefly, then turned towards the forest.

"Follow me," he said, "And remain invisible."

"Okay."

I followed him towards the Forbidden Forest curiously.

We walked in silence along the perimeter of the forest for quite a while, until the castle was out of sight.

"You cannot tell anyone," he said warningly.

"I won't," I promised.

"Not even your little girlfriends."

"I won't tell them anything you don't want me to."

Suddenly, a large wooden fence appeared in our path. It was an enclosure…and inside the enclosure were four, enormous, sleeping dragons.

There were about twenty wizards outside of the fence, most of them peering in an the dragons. A few more wizards were inside, checking on the sleeping dragons.

"Why are they all asleep?" I whispered to Snape.

"They gave them a Sleeping Draught for the trip. They'll keep them asleep until nighttime."

I studied the dragons in silent awe. One had beautiful silvery-blue scales and gleaming white horns. There was a smooth-scaled green one, the least vicious-looking of the four. Another was red with an odd fringe of gold spikes around its face. The fourth was the largest of them by far and had a tail that was covered with large bronze spikes. Thick gray clouds of smoke were coming from its nose as it slept.

"They're amazing," I said breathlessly to Snape, "Can't I get closer?"

"No. I don't want to risk you getting caught. I brought you because I thought you would like to see them."

"Thank you. I may never get to see a dragon again."

"Well you will get to see these ones again soon- they're part of the Triwizard Tournament."

"The first task?"

He nodded silently.

"I hope they don't expect them to kill them."

"No, of course not. They just have to get past them. They brought female dragons-nesting mothers. All the champions must retrieve a clue from one of their nests."

"…That's not very fair to the dragons," I pointed out, "No wonder wizards can't train dragons. No respect for them at all."

He looked at me queerly.

"It's taking advantage of nature- motherly instinct. It's a powerful, dangerous thing. One of those kids is probably going to end up dead."

"Well…you're probably right about that," he said softly, gazing at the sleeping beasts.

We stood there in silence a moment.

"Can't I come back and see them when they are awake?"

"No. They are dangerous. And they are probably going to be …particularly unhappy. They were transferred here from Romania."

"How did they get them here?"

"A team of about 0 trained wizards on brooms, levitating them."

I frowned but said nothing. I felt rather bad for the dragons. They were wild, spirited creatures and they were brought here, why? For entertainment purposes. Snape was looking at me and seemed to read my thoughts.

"You better not sneak back out here tonight and try and free them," he said dryly.

"I'm not an idiot, Severus. I know better," I said indignantly, "Someone would get killed if I did that."

"Yeah- _you_."

He turned and started walking back up towards the castle. I took one last look at the dragons, then followed him.

"So…I'm not guaranteeing I won't sneak back out here tonight - to _look_," I said slowly, "I'll stay a distance away. I won't get too close."

"Of course you will," he scoffed, "…Meet me in the Entrance Hall tonight at ten o'clock."

"Huh?"

"I'm going with you to make sure you don't do anything stupid."

"I don't need you to baby-sit me."

"Of course you don't."

"You just don't want me to get hurt. You're _worried _about me," I said with a grin.

He exhaled slowly through his nose.

"Do you want to see the dragons again or not?"

"I do want to."

"Then we aren't talking about this anymore."

"Touchy," I said, still grinning.

We walked back to the castle in silence and once we got close, I removed my Disillusionment charm.

"Do you think Potter will be able to get past his dragon?" I asked him.

"Shh. Not so loud."

"My bad."

"I don't want to think about it."

"He could die."

He was silent a moment and seemed to pale.

"…Dumbledore won't let that happen," he said finally.

"Oh that's right. He won't let anything bad happen to his little boy toy."

"This conversation is over," Snape said and quickened his pace.

"Fine. …I'm going to Hogsmeade," I retorted, reapplying my Disillusionment Charm.

"Fine. But you'd better not get caught because I am _not _going to bail you out."

"I don't get caught," I snorted.

"Right," he said doubtfully, "I'll see you tonight."

**Snape's POV**

I watched the prints Olivia's invisible feet made on the ground as she walked to the gate. I hesitated, glancing up at the castle. I should go inside. Grade papers. Talk to Albus. …Instead, I applied a Disillusionment Charm of my own and followed her down the path to Hogsmeade.

I kept my mind linked with hers so it was easy for me to follow her. Despite her Occlumency training, she did not detect my presence.

When we reached the village of Hogsmeade, Olivia slipped behind a building and removed her Disillusionment Charm, She then walked around to the various shops, peering inside. No doubt looking for her friends. She found them at last inside of Honeydukes, which was crowded. I stayed outside so I would not be trodden upon.

_I should go now_, I realized. I saw her safely to the village which I had told myself was the reason I followed her. Yet for some reason I felt compelled to stay and when Olivia and her friends left the sweetshop, I followed them.

"What did Snape have to show you?" asked Butler casually, blowing a large bubble with a piece of Drooble's gum. I hurried to catch up with them so I could hear them better, eager to know what her response would be.

"I can't tell you. I'm sworn to secrecy," Olivia replied with a mischievous grin.

"Oh come on, Liv. I bet it was just some stupid Potions thing, wasn't it?" Butler demanded.

A ripple of annoyance passed through me. Olivia glared at her.

"Potions is not stupid," she said heatedly.

"You know that's not what I meant, Liv."

"It was nothing to do with Potions…it had something to do with the Triwizard Tournament, but I can't tell you anything more than that."

"But you have to tell us now!" Butler said.

"Yeah…_please_" added Daae.

"I can't."

Her friends badgered her about it continuously but she remained steadfast and loyal to me in her promise not to tell anyone. I couldn't help but smile- not bothering to hide it, as I was invisible- and I turned and began to make my way back up to the castle.

I didn't see Olivia again until dinner that night. She was sitting with her friends at the Slytherin table. A quick glimpse into her mind let me know that she remained faithful to her promise and had not told her friends about the dragons. She turned her head suddenly and looked up at me.

_Did you really think I would? _she asked in her mind, sounding somewhat hurt.

_No, of course not, _I responded, _…you sensed my presence?_

_Of course._

_But usually you don't. I'm quite skilled at veiling my presence, _I replied, frowning.

_Just how often do you infiltrate my mind? _she asked.

_Only when I want to know something important. How did you know I was here?_

_The strong emotions you felt…the pride at discovering my loyalty._

I scowled at her and broke the link between our minds. I focused my attention on the food in front of me and did not look at her again until she was leaving the Great Hall. I couldn't help but note that she did not walk with her French friend, only with the Daae girl. I glanced back at the Slytherin Table where the Butler girl sat with Draco Malfoy and a few others. She was talking to Draco but her body language told me she was unhappy. I wondered vaguely if it had something to do with Olivia and made a mental note to ask her about it when I saw her later that night.

When I left my office at ten o'clock that night, I made my way up to the Great Hall, expecting Olivia to already be there. I cast around for any sign of her presence, physical or mental, but found none. I frowned and decided to wait for her. I paced the Entrance Hall for several minutes, then…

"You really don't know I'm here, do you?" said an amused voice, apparently out of thin air.

"Olivia?" I said, frowning, "…Where are you?"

"I'm standing by the door- I was veiling my mind."

"I am impressed. Your Occlumency is good."

"Only when I try really hard."

"It takes practice…are you ready to go?"

"Yes."

She followed me silently out of the castle. The moon was full and the grounds were illuminated as we walked across them. Olivia was no longer veiling her thoughts and though I could not see her, I knew she was looking up at the moon as we walked, thinking about Lupin, wondering where he was and hoping he was somewhere safe for his transformation.

I scoffed quietly and quickened my pace.

"What?" Olivia asked defensively.

"Nothing," I muttered and we continued on in silence for a moment.

"…I couldn't help but notice you weren't with Butler after dinner and she looked particularly unhappy," I said finally.

"She's being a bitch because I won't tell her what you showed me."

"Don't swear, Olivia."

As we approached the enclosure where the dragons were kept, I spotted two large figures talking towards us. I quickly stepped within the shadows of the trees. Olivia did the same, not that it would have mattered with her Disillusionment Charm on. As they passed, we saw it was Hagrid and Madame Maxime, holding hands.

"ew," Olivia whispered to me. I smiled a wry smile. Once they had passed by, we continued on our way.

"Is that Hagrid's idea of a date?" Olivia said.

"He should not have been showing her the dragons. She is sure to tell her champion," I said, frowning.

"I hear someone coming," Olivia whispered.

We ducked back into the shadows again. This time it was Karkaroff, walking alone and mumbling to himself.

"Apparently everyone will know about the dragons," said Olivia once he had passed by, "There's no doubt he'll tell Krum. He loves Krum. …I wonder if anyone has told Potter yet?"

As we got close we could see spouts of fire and hear people yelling. The dragons were certainly awake now…and they were far from happy.

**Olivia's POV**

The dragons were furious. I didn't blame them and part of me wanted to stop the wizards who were shooting Stunning Spells at them. My blood boiled as I stood there. _they _were the ones who had brought the dragons here, now they were hurting them.

Snape put a hand on my shoulder, as if he meant to comfort me, then quickly removed it. Neither of us spoke for a while, then I turned and started back towards the castle. He followed.

We weren't even out of earshot of the dragons when out of the trees stepped Albus Dumbledore. Snape and I both froze. There was no doubt in my mind that Dumbledore knew I was there, despite my Disillusionment Charm. In fact, his piercing blue eyes were focused directly on me. I couldn't tell if he was angry or not.

"You've seen the dragons, Miss Cain?" said the headmaster. Snape looked immensely guilty. He was staring at the ground, not looking at Dumbledore at all.

"Yes sir," I said quietly.

"What did you think of them?" Dumbledore asked.

"They are magnificent…but they're furious and rightfully so."

"Olivia," Snape said warningly.

"What makes you say that?" Dumbledore asked me.

"You took them away from their nests. Displaced hem. For entertainment purposes."

"It is a traditional task for the Triwizard Tournament. None of the dragons will be harmed."

"There are forty wizards shooting stunners at them," I said indignantly.

"They are not too harmful to the dragons. They have very thick armor. However, I think perhaps they should be given a Sleeping Draught until the first task. …Perhaps you two can handle that?" he said, looking now at Severus who finally looked up and nodded.

"We'll get to work on that immediately," Snape said quickly.

Dumbledore nodded and started down the path towards the dragons. Snape glanced at me, shrugged, and continued towards the castle.

"You're quite lucky he likes you," he said to me.

"I can't believe he didn't say _anything_… _and _we get to give Sleeping Draught to a dragon."

"We are not giving Sleeping Draught to the dragons. We are only brewing a potion to give to those people," he said, "The trained dragonologists."

"Oh," I said, somewhat disappointed.

"…But perhaps they will let us stay and watch," he said after a moment. I smiled and quickened my pace.

Back in the dungeons, Snape and I went to the Potions classroom. I went to the store cupboard to gather ingredients for a Sleeping Draught while he set up the cauldron.

"We need triple the ingredients," he said as lit the fire beneath a large cauldron, "We have to make three times as much as one normally would."

I nodded my head and resumed my task.

It was almost one o'clock in the morning when we finished the Sleeping Draught and headed back outside. I started to reapply my Disillusionment Charm as we left the dungeon, but Snape stopped me.

"We have the headmaster's permission to be out after hours," he said to me.

"Cool," I said with a grin.

We levitated the cauldron between us as we made our way back out to the dragon enclosure. The dragons were still pissed off but they seemed to have used up their fire…for the time being. They were still growling low in their throats and they lashed out at anyone who came too close.

Several of the wizards now standing outside the enclosure had deep gashes and/or burns. Some of the wizards now had broomsticks and were waiting outside of the enclosure. They saw us approaching and one of the wizards waved us over. The wizard who waved us over was a stocky boy with long red hair. He was extremely freckly and smiled broadly at us. He looked to be only a few years older than me.

"Hello Professor Snape. Dumbledore said you would be bringing a Sleeping Draught for us," he said, though he was looking at me in a curious, but friendly sort of way, "…It's kind of late for a student to be out, isn't it?"

"I have the headmaster's permission," I flared.

Snape shot me a look.

"She is my apprentice. Olivia, this is Charlie Weasley. Charlie, Olivia Cain."

"Nice to meet you, Miss Cain," Charlie said, still grinning, "You like dragons?"

"I like all animals. Including dragons," I said somewhat frostily.

I didn't like him, because of what he was. Not because he was a Weasley or a Gryffindor (which he so obviously was), but because he was a dragonologist. A dragon handler. I hated that term and everything it implied. I hated what they were doing to these magnificent creatures.

"Stick around," Charlie said, "I might let you go into the pen."

"Is that safe?" Snape asked, unable to help sounding anxious.

Charlie smiled, amused, and Snape scowled.

"It will be fine once they are asleep," Charlie assured him.

Three wizards took charge of the cauldron of Sleeping Potion. They divided it amongst themselves, then nine wizards, including Charlie, ascended into the air. I watched rather interestedly as six of them flew right in front of the dragon, catching their attention, while the other three flew dangerously close to the dragon's mouths and tossed the potion in. Charlie was one of the three giving the potion to the dragons. The dragon he had to give the potion to was the biggest one that had the huge bronze spikes on it's tail. This dragon watched the two wizards meant to be a distraction, but when Charlie started towards her, she whipped her tail around so fast I almost didn't see it. Charlie dodged it quickly and skillfully, flew around back of her, and finally dumped the potion into the dragon's mouth. He had to dodge once again as she whipped at him with her tail. He shot forward and landed artfully right in front of me.

"You're a good flyer," I had to admit.

"Thanks," he said, blushing slightly.

He glanced back over the fence as several wizards went around to each of the dragons, making sure they were full asleep. The wizards all gave a thumbs up and another group of wizards started to go around to the dragons and check their vitals, which I found very interesting.

"Would you like to see them now, Olivia?" Charlie asked me and I nodded eagerly, "…If that's alright with you, Professor Snape?"

"Fine," he said coolly.

Charlie led me into the enclosure. Snape hesitated at first and I wasn't sure he was going to come near the dragons, but in the end he followed us into the enclosure, no doubt wanting to look out for me.


	24. Year 6 Chapter 9

**Author's Note: **Here's the next chapter you guys! I know you've all been eager to read more, but tell that to the little white Chihuahua named Luna who has been taking up all of my time recently. Read and review, you guys, it really keeps me going through the tough times! Thanks.

~LilReporterGirl

**Snape's POV**

I followed Olivia and Charlie around the dragon enclosure rather reluctantly. She was listening ravenously as Charlie told her facts about each of the dragons. He was trying to impress her with his knowledge. I could tell he liked her. He could hardly take his eyes off of her.

I felt somewhat sullen- I had brought her out here, to do something nice for her, and now all her attention was focused on Charlie Weasley. Then I reminded myself that I shouldn't care and tried to focus my attention on the dragons.

I did feel a little nervous around the dragons. I recalled my own sixth year in school, when Professor Yladcoff took the Care of Magical Creatures class on a field trip, to a dragon reserve in Romania. I had gone on the field trip, only because Lily had gone. While we were there, a group of dragonologists had a Romanian Longhorn for us to see. We all stayed a few yards away because the dragon was pulling at the chains that bound it. Its golden horns gleamed in the sunlight.

Lily got closer than any of the rest of us dared to. Suddenly, the dragon had broken free of its chains and flown straight at her. I was frozen to the spot. Luckily Professor Yladcoff had jumped in front of her and knocked her out of its path. Unfortunately, he himself had been speared in the arm by one of the dragon's golden horns.

I shuddered at the memory as I followed Olivia and Charlie around the enclosure. We came to the fourth dragon, the black one with horns.

"This is the Hungarian Horntail," Charlie said to Olivia, "She's probably the nastiest of the four. She can shoot fire up to 40 feet. And that tail is nothing to mess around with. I feel bad for whatever champion has to face her."

Olivia was silent a moment, looking down at the sleeping dragon. Smoke was coming out of its nostrils.

"I feel bad for the dragons," Olivia announced contemptuously.

"Olivia," I said warningly. I didn't want her to start on anything about animal rights.

"Why?" Charlie asked her interestedly.

"They're being taken advantage of, for wizard entertainment," she said indignantly.

"Personally, I agree," Charlie said.

"You…do?"

"Yes. Normally I spend time studying dragons in their natural habitat in Romania. I only came here because, well, it's Hogwarts."

"But they are kept in _reserves _in Romania."

"To keep them from being poached, mostly. But they aren't _captive_. The reserve is miles and miles of forest, mountains…deep wilderness, where Muggles don't go."

"They are captive, then. They can't just roam wherever they please. They have boundaries, right? That's like, the definition of captive."

"Well alright, but it's better than them being hunted down and killed for their blood and scales and fangs."

Olivia said nothing. He had made a point she couldn't argue with.

"It's late," I said suddenly, somewhat snappily, "We should go."

"Right. Thank you for the Sleeping Potion, Professor," Charlie said to me.

I said nothing but nodded curtly and strode out of the enclosure.

"It was nice meeting you, Olivia," Charlie called after us. Olivia glanced back at him and smiled.

I quickened my pace and didn't slow down until we were out of sigh of the dragon enclosure. Olivia glanced at me and smirked.

"What?" I demanded of her.

"Nothing," she said quickly.

"…I believe Charlie Weasley was flirting with you."

"Probably," she said indifferently.

"He couldn't keep his eyes off of you."

"…So?"

"Perhaps he would make a suitable boyfriend for you. He is not that much older than you and he shares your love of dragons," I said, just to see what she would say.

"Wh- …I don't want a boyfriend, Severus," she said quietly, looking at me with solemn emerald eyes. I quickly looked away from her.

"You are doomed to be alone forever then."

"That makes two of us," she said somewhat coolly.

"It suits me to be alone. It doesn't suit you."

"Oh come off it! You don't really want me to date Charlie Weasley, do you?"

I didn't respond to this and quickened my pace.

We didn't speak again the entire walk back to the castle and down into the dungeons. We stopped outside the hidden entrance to the Common Room.

"Goodnight Olivia," I said somewhat stiffly.

"Goodnight Severus," she said. She no longer sounded mad at me. "And thanks."

"Sure," I murmured and continued on to my office.

**Olivia's POV**

I knew Snape was right about Charlie Weasley flirting with me. He had hardly been able to keep his eyes off of me and he had definitely been trying to impress me. Still I was surprised when the next morning during breakfast when a small tawny owl dropped a note into my lap.

_Olivia, _

_How would you like to get another look at the dragons before the first task, this time without the Potions teacher? Come down to the enclosure sometime before midday and try not to get caught. Of course I'm not encouraging you to skip a lesson or anything like that._

_See ya,_

_Charlie_

"Well damn," I said aloud, not really knowing what to think.

"What's up?" Alex asked. She was sitting across from me eating breakfast, but we hadn't really said anything other than good morning to each other. Brandi was still sore over me not telling her what the first task was going to be so she was sitting down the table with Draco and some others, studiously ignoring me.

"There's a guy who wants me to skip class and come see him," I said quietly to Alex.

"Ooh, who is it?"

"I can't tell you that yet."

"Are you going to do it?"

"Probably."

"Why can't you tell me who it is? Is it a Gryffindor? Is it Snape?"

"No, no it's not Snape. And- well, it complicated. I'll tell you tonight, I promise."

"Okay," she said amiably and didn't press the matter.

I considered Charlie's offer as I finished eating. Of course I wanted to see the dragons again… and I didn't entirely mind seeing him again, too. He was nice…he had a nice smile, and he knew a lot about dragons. Plus I actually kind of liked the attention.

I decided my first class, Care of Magical Creatures, would be the easiest to skip - Hagrid could always be easily fooled by a forged note from the nurse or Snape. He was trusting and wasn't likely to double-check excuses.

So after breakfast I slipped out of the Great Hall, trusting Alexandria to tell Hagrid I was ill. I donned my Disillusionment Charm before leaving the Entrance Hall, taking care to make sure no one saw me vanish.

The morning was cool and the sky was clouded over. The grass was wet with dew. Birds in the trees of the forest were just waking up and chirping their good mornings.

The walk along the forest alone seemed to take forever but finally I reached the dragon enclosure- only it was now blocked from view by a large tent that half a dozen wizards were erected. Charlie was one of the wizards nearest me. I removed my Disillusionment Charm. Several people spotted me before him and began to shout, but then he turned and saw me.

"It's alright" Charlie said to the others, "She's the Potion Master's apprentice."

I smiled as he walked over to me and the others went back to what they were doing.

"Good of you to come," he said, smiling at me.

"Well I wanted to see the dragons again before they started ripping the champions apart."

"We'll be trying to prevent that, actually," he said with a laugh, "The dragons are still asleep. We're going to keep them that way until time for the task. We've separated them."

I followed Charlie around the tent to the dragon enclosure. There were now twenty wizards setting up stands around the enclosure for spectators. The dragons themselves, well…

"Cages, Charlie?" I demanded.

Each dragon was in its own iron cage, along with their nests of eggs, looking cramped. Charlie grimaced.

"I don't like it any more than you do," he said, "I didn't know they were going to put them in cages."

"Then _do _something about it."

"What would you have me do? Free them?"

"Well…obviously that wouldn't work out so great…but if you don't like it, why do you still stay with these people"

"Because…it's _dragons_," he said, his eyes alight. I smiled in spite of myself. Here was someone who I strongly suspected shared my love of not just dragons, but all animals.

"Wanna see something cool?" Charlie asked me.

"Okay," I said somewhat hesitantly.

"Follow me."

I followed behind Charlie as he left the enclosure and headed into the forest. I was somewhat reluctant - I wasn't sure I could trust him - but I followed anyway. After all, I could take care of myself.

"Do you like Quidditch?" he asked casually, glancing over his shoulder at me.

"Of course."

"Do you play?"

"Well, I _was _on the team, but I missed tryouts one year and they haven't let me back on the team since. Flint didn't want a girl on the team to begin with - Snape had to force them to let me play - but I was damned good."

"What position did you play?" he inquired.

"Beater. Did you play when you were in school?"

"Yeah. I was captain for the last few years."

"What position?"

"Seeker. We never lost a game. I got offered a spot on the national team, but turned it down to study dragons."

"I probably would have done the same. …I want to be a wizard veterinarian someday. I invent potions for animals."

"What kind of potions?" he asked interestedly.

"Flea repellent. Worm medicine. That sort of thing."

"Cool. …Are you up for a bit of flying"

"I thought you were showing me something?"

"I am. We have to fly a bit to reach it though."

"Well…okay."

"Don't worry," he said, flashing me a smile, "_Accio, _broomsticks."

A minute later two broomsticks came speeding towards us through the forest, probably from the castle. Charlie grabbed them both and handed one to me. He quickly mounted his.

"Follow me," he said and ascended into the air before I was even on my broomstick. I swung one leg over the broom handle and took off after him.

From the air I could see that the forest ahead of us sloped downward suddenly into a valley. The valley was filled mostly with dense trees, but there was a large pool of water, like a pond, and a river of water that flowed down over the side of the valley into it, forming a sort of waterfall. Charlie descended into the valley and headed for the waterfall. I followed silently, wondering how I had never managed to see this place before. Suddenly, Charlie flew into the waterfall and disappeared.

I stared. It looked like solid rock behind it to me.

"Come on through," said Charlie's voice from the other side, sounding weird - echoey and distant. I decided it was best to go through fast, like the barrier at Kings Cross Station. I backed up, inadvertently holding my breath, and rushed through.

I stopped abruptly when I came through the water on the other side. It was a sort of crevice in the rock, maybe six feet high so that my head almost hit the ceiling when I came through. I hovered to the ground as I looked around in amazement. The daylight coming through the waterfall made a pleasantly dim, reflective light that danced along the rock. It was beautiful, but this wasn't what had me amazed. Against the back of the cave was a hippogriff…and beside her, a baby hippogriff, no larger than a three-month old horse colt. To top it off, Charlie was on his knees beside the baby, stroking its feathery head. The mother hippogriff was looking at him in a rather bored sort of way but when my feet touched the ground she focused her yellow eyes on me intently.

"Charlie?" I said anxiously.

"Bow to her," he said and patted the mother hippogriff's side, "It's alright, Emma. Olivia won't hurt you."

I bowed to the hippogriff, not daring to look her in the eye. After a moment, she bowed her head to me, then looked back at Charlie and her baby.

"Come on," Charlie encouraged, looking at me.

"I'm close enough," I said faintly, not wanting to anger the mother hippogriff. She could easily rip us both to pieces.

"I almost forgot you were a Slytherin," Charlie said in a teasing tone, "The lot of you are nothing but cowards."

"I'm not a coward," I said hotly, "I just have a general aversion to being ripped to shreds."

Charlie laughed and got to his feet. He walked over, took my hand, and tugged me towards the baby. He pulled me to my knees beside the little hippogriff. The baby looked curiously at me with light blue eyes and seemed to smile at me. I reached out slowly and touched him. I petted his head, like Charlie had, and the hippogriff rubbed his head against my hand.

"So soft," I said quietly, "Like a baby chicken."

Charlie grinned at me, his blue eyes reflecting the dancing light that shone through the waterfall.

"So…Emma, huh?" I said, looking at the big hippogriff.

"Yeah… When I was fifteen I found her in the forest. She had broken a wing and couldn't fly. She was just a baby then herself. I helped take care of her for a few weeks - Hagrid and I did. She trusts me. I went for a fly yesterday - it's been so long since I flew around Hogwarts grounds - and I spotted her in the air. She led me back here, where the little one was sleeping."

"Have you named him yet?"

"Not yet. I'm not so great with naming. I named Emma. Hagrid wanted to call her Featherfawn. …You can give him a name, if you like."

"I'd love to… but I have to think about it."

We sat in silence, stroking the little hippogriff who ended up stretched across our laps, dozing.

"How about Windquest?" I said finally. Charlie let out an amused laugh.

"I like it," he said. "It's unique."

We sat there for a while and Windquest continued to sleep. I stroked his head absently while watching the patterns of light on the rock. From the corner of my eye I could see Charlie was looking at me and smiling, a small sweet smile.

"So what's your favorite animal?" Charlie asked me casually, leaning back with his arms behind him.

"Magical or non-magical?"

"Hm…non-magical."

"Well…tigers. Definitely tigers."

"Why?"

"They are so majestic and powerful. Beautiful yet dangerous…"

"Like dragons," he said with a faraway look in his eye.

"Like dragons," I agreed.

"They like to nest in places like this, dragons do," he said looking around.

"I can see why. It's so peaceful and…safe."

"Beautiful," he murmured, leaning towards me.

"The cave?" I asked, smiling.

"That too," he said and he leaned in and kissed me.

It wasn't entirely unexpected, but it still made my heart jump. He was a good kisser and when he finally pulled away I was speechless.

"Well," I said breathlessly.

"Well," he said and smiled.

"What does this mean?"

"What do you want it to mean?"

"Well…we can't date. You live in Romania and I'm still in school."

"For two more years," he reasoned, "After that, well you could come to Romania, if you want. You can do anything you want. It's your future."

I was silent. I didn't like thinking about the future.

"It's not just that… there is another. My heart can never belong to you," I said softly.

"You have a boyfriend?"

"Not exactly, but…my heart belongs to him."

"Does he love you?"

"I think so."

"You _think_?" he asked with a wry smile.

"…When do you leave to go back to Romania?" I asked.

"Tonight. We'll be taking the dragons back after the task."

"Well…we can see each other tonight, before you leave. And we can write."

"But we can't be together?"

"I'm sorry. But I do like you. I want us to be friends."

"It's okay. We can be…pen pals."

I smiled at him somewhat sadly, but my mind was on Snape now. My heart belonged to him, of course…but how did he fit into my future? What if he did not succumb to his feelings for me before I graduated? What would happen then? I would have to move out of Spinner's End…what then?

Charlie and I flew back towards the castle before lunchtime. We touched down before we reached the enclosure then walked back together.

"I'll walk you back to the castle," Charlie said.

I shrugged indifferently.

Sow e walked back to the castle, sticking to the edge of the forest.

"I'm going to try and get time off work for the second task. Maybe I'll get to see you then."

"Perhaps. …It's not more dragons, is it? The second task?"

"No. I don't know exactly what it is, but there won't be dragons. Dumbledore would have told us already."

We walked silently for a minute.

"You missed several classes," he said to me.

"It's alright. I'll just forge an excuse from the nurse. Or Snape."

"You're very bad," he said with a smile.

"What do you expect? I _am _a Slytherin."

"I'd be terrified Snape would flay me alive. Of course I was a goody two shoes in school. Prefect and all that."

"I can get away with it. Snape wouldn't get mad if he found out I was forging notes. He wouldn't, like, give me detention."

"Because you're a Slytherin?"

"No, because…he's my cousin."

"Woah! Like first cousins."

"Second cousins."

"Oh. I guess that's not so bad."

"What does it matter if Severus and I are cousins?"

"He lets you call him by his first name?" he asked, bemused.

"Well…Only when it's just he and I alone," I admitted, "What does it matter if we are cousins?"

"It doesn't matter. I just…didn't expect it. You're so pretty and nice and Snape, well…"

"He's not so bad as everyone thinks," I said quietly.

"Well, Dumbledore does trust him…but Snape is just…"

"Unpleasant," I finished, "Most of the time. But sometimes he does good things."

"Like what?"

"Well, he saved Potter and your little brother from a werewolf last year. Stood between them and a full-grown werewolf during the full moon. Even after Potter and his friends knocked Snape out."

He was silent a moment.

"Ron never told us that," he said, "…Did they really knock him unconscious?"

"Yes. It was my understanding they hit him with three Disarming Spells at once. And he didn't even punish them for that- he told everyone that Potter and his friends had been Confunded."

When we got to the castle, Charlie stopped.

"I'll leave you here and get back. They'll need me- the task starts soon."

"Alright. I'll see you later?"

"Stick around after the task. Come find me."

"I will."

He hugged me quickly, much to my surprise, and hurried off, head down in an embarrassed sort of way, not looking back at me.

Our timing had been good, I discovered as I walked back into the castle. Students were just starting to trickle into the Great Hall for lunch. I tarried in the Entrance Hall, looking for Alexandria, but saw Snape instead. I started to slink away into the Great Hall, but he saw me and called out to me.

"Olivia," he said loudly. I cringed and walked over to him.

"Where have you been?" he asked, "You missed a Potions class. You've never missed a Potions class."

"If you must know… I was with Charlie."

"Charlie Weasley?"

"Do you know any other Charlies?"

"What did you two do?" he asked, scowling.

I smiled mischievously and he scowled again.

"I'm just playing, Severus," I said, "All we did was… well you can see."

I opened my mind to him and let him view the memory of Charlie and I flying over the valley and behind the waterfall. I let him see Windquest. I meant to stop before it got to the kiss, but slipped up. Snape withdrew quickly, a disgusted look on his face.

"It was meaningless," I said quickly, "I am NOT dating him."

"I wouldn't care if you were dating him," he said bitterly, "You need to date somebody."

Then he headed into the Great Hall. I followed him, scowling, but not saying anything. He could say he didn't care all he wanted to, but everything about him made me think otherwise.

**Snape's POV**

I tried to convince myself I didn't care wither way. Olivia had said it had been meaningless but she had seemed pretty happy during the memory. It had definitely been romantic.

_You should be happy for her, _I told myself as I picked at the food on my plate, _Happy she's out having fun. Being a teenager. Not lusting after someone like you._

I sighed heavily and pushed my food away. I stood to leave the Great Hall, thinking I could go for a walk to clear my mind.

"Everything alright, Severus?" Albus asked.

"Just fine," I said quietly.

As I was walking out onto Hogwarts grounds, Karkaroff came out the Entrance Hall behind me.

"Severus," he said, "You've been avoiding me."

"I've not been avoiding you, Igor. I've been busy. As I am busy now… I am due down at the enclosure."

"But Severus-"

"I know what it is you wish to talk about and I would rather not discuss it."

"You prefer to pretend it isn't happening then?"

"While I can," I snapped, "It isn't happening _now_."

"And when it does happen? What will you do?"

"Why do you care, Igor?" You know where my loyalties lie - my name was one of many you squealed fourteen years ago."

"Severus, fourteen years ago -" he bean.

"I'm not condemning your actions. You saved your own skin. Obviously, I am none the worse for it. Now leave me," I said, "Moody already has his eye on me. I'd rather not draw attention to myself by consorting with you."

"You do have a point," he said, "Quite right. I will see you later, Severus."

He turned and went back into the Entrance Hall and I continued walking alone. As if my day hadn't sucked enough already, now Karkaroff had to bring up the damn Mark. I touched my left arm absently where the Mark had been branded into my flesh so many years ago. It had once been so faded it was hardly visible. Now the liens of the skull were light gray. If it turned completely black, the Dark Lord would be returned to power and if it burned he would be calling us to him.

I jerked my sleeve back down. As if I really needed something else to worry about.

I had to meet the other Heads of Houses in the Entrance Hall less than a half hour later so we could lead our students out to the dragon enclosure. I let Minerva line the lot of them up as they trickled out of the Great Hall, down the stairs, or up out of the dungeons. She separated them by house and when the time came, I led all the Slytherins out. Olivia made her way to the front and walked alongside me, not saying anything.

"Where are your friends?" I muttered.

"Why are you so grumpy?"

"I'm not grumpy," I scoffed, "I have a lot on my mind."

"Right. Well, Brandi still isn't speaking to me because I wouldn't tell her what I know about the first task."

"And the other one?"

Olivia gestured vaguely over her should and shrugged. I rolled my eyes. I spotted Karkaroff leading the Durmstrang boys up. He looked pale and nervous - either about the Mark or worrying about Krum.

Most of the students were chattering excitedly with each other and being loud. Olivia seemed content to walk alongside me in silence and I was content to let her do so. When we reached the stands that had been erected around the enclosure, I made my way to the front row, scarcely looking down at the enclosure, which was empty.

"Where are they?" Olivia whispered, coming to sit beside me while the rest of the Slytherins filled the rows behind us. I pointed wordlessly to a tunnel that ran between the stands on one side of the enclosure.

"Oh," she said.

It didn't take long for the task to get started. Diggory walked out of the tent at the other end of the enclosure. He looked like he was going to be sick and held his wand aloft in a trembling hand. Out of the other end of the enclosure came the dragons, surrounded by several wizards with wands out. The cry from the crowd was one of amazement. Another group of wizards brought out a nest full of eggs carefully wile the first group distracted the dragon. Charlie was one of the wizards who brought the rest out. When everything was in place, all the dragon handlers stationed themselves around the enclosure, wands at the ready in case something should go wrong.

Of course Charlie had to come and stand in front of our stands. He glanced up at Olivia, grinned stupidly and waved. She waved back, smiling. The dragon shot a jet of flame towards him suddenly and Charlie had to jump out of the way.

"Watch your back, Charlie!" one of the other dragon handlers called to him.

I laughed rather cruelly and Olivia kicked me. I slid her a look but she glared defiantly back at me. I avoided her gaze and focused my attention on the task.

The Delacour girl was next. I watched rather disinterestedly as she tried to put the Welsh Green to sleep. It stumbled sleepily, then let out a jet of flame as it snored. The flame caught her skirt on fire and she let out an alarmed scream before using her wand to put the flame out.

Then came Krum. I snuck a look at Karkaroff, who sat with the other judges. He was on the edge of his seat, his face pale and glistening with sweat. Krum, who was frowning even more than usual, had his wand out from the start He didn't miss a beat- he shot a spell at the dragon immediately. It roared in pain and shot fire at him. Krum dodged the flame and went for the nest. The dragon stumbled backwards, stepping on the nest and almost crushing Krum. Olivia grabbed my arm tightly. I glanced at her. She was frowning. She looked pissed.

"What?" I muttered, shaking her hand away.

"He let the eggs get squished! That's like six baby dragons that won't get born now!"

I didn't know what to say to this so I just said "Oh" and nodded my head.

Potter was the last champion to face a dragon and he had he Hungarian Horntail - Charlie had said this was the most dangerous and temperamental of the four. I felt like I imagine Karkaroff probably felt when Krum walked onto the field, only I wasn't showing it.

Potter had his wand out and looked terrified, but determined.

"_Accio Firebolt!" _he shouted. The dragon was crouched protectively over her eggs and as long as he didn't move, she didn't either.

"Did he just use a Summoning Charm?" Olivia asked me quietly.

"I think he tried to…but nothing is happening"

My hands balled into fists, waiting for something to happen…anything.

Potter's broomstick came hurtling towards him through the trees and stopped in midair beside him.

"Thank God," I breathed quietly. It was his only chance. He wasn't a particularly skilled wizard - he couldn't have performed the Conjunctivitis Curse, like Krum - but he was a damned good flyer, loathe as I was to admit it.

I could feel Olivia's eyes on me while I followed Potter's movements as he ascended into the air. I took a moment to scowl at her but quickly returned my attention to the boy as the Horntail shot a flame at him and he dodged it. Olivia chuckled quietly, not at Potter but at me. I didn't acknowledge her but continued to watch Potter tensely. He flew around the Horntail in circles, making her follow him. Then he dodged another spurt of flame, just to be met by the tail end with the spikes. The crowd around me gasped and groaned. Even I flinched as Potter's shoulder was gashed open. Olivia inched closer to me and touched my hand gently. I scowled and pulled my hand away, still not looking at her.

Potter flew back and forth, higher and higher.

"He's trying to lure her into the air," I murmured.

It worked! The dragon stood, stretched her black leathery wings and - Potter dived and grabbed the golden egg before the dragon even knew where he had gone.

The stands around us exploded with applause and cheering, though there were some hissing from the Slytherins behind me. Potter landed and hurried out of the enclosure where he was met by Minerva, Hagrid and Moody. Charlie and the other wizards had moved forth as soon as Potter's hands had closed on the golden egg. They subdued the enraged Horntail with some difficulty and a few burns, and managed to get her out of the enclosure.

I looked down at the field when Potter came back out to receive his score. He tied with Krum. I watched as Potter walked back off the field. His arm didn't look too bad now, so he wasn't too seriously hurt. I glanced sideways and was surprised to find Olivia was no longer beside me. I glanced around quickly but she was nowhere to be seen.

Students began to leave the stands and make their way back to the castle. I started to follow them, but turned and walked behind the stands, around to where the dragons were. Olivia was standing at the edge of the trees, alone. I looked around and saw Charlie hurrying towards her.

"Sorry. I ad to see my brother and Harry before they went back up to the castle," he said as he approached her.

"That's okay," she said, smiling.

"Want to go for a walk in the forest?"

"I'd love to."

"Hey Michael! Cover for me, will ya?" Charlie called to one of his friends.

"You owe me one, Charlie!" the boy called back.

Charlie took Olivia's hand, they shared a smile, and the two of them walked off into the woods together. I turned, my insides squirming unpleasantly, and walked back up to the castle alone.


	25. Year 6 Chapter 10

**Olivia's POV**

I spent the rest of the day with Charlie. We went off in to the woods for a little alone time, then returned to the enclosure where all four dragons were sleeping. The champions tent had been taken down and several off the wizards were in the process of taking down the stands by magic. There were a few wizards inside the enclosure. Onei n particular was examining a cut on the Chinese Fireball's snout where Krum had hit it with a spell.

"Come on, I want you to meet somebody," Charlie said, taking my hand and leading me into the enclosure.

He led me over to the wizard who was examining the Fireball. He was an elderly wizard with a lined face and shot grey hair. He had a burn scar over one eye and part of his forehead and cheek, giving him a rather alarming appearance. He turned to us as we approached, observing us with olive eyes through wire-rimmed spectacles.

"Hey Doc," Charlie said as we reached him, "This is Olivia Cain. …She wants to be an animal doctor when she leaves Hogwarts."

"Pleased to meet you, Ms. Cain," Doc said, inclining his head. He spoke with a strong Romanian accent.

"And you. Is that what you are- an animal doctor?" I asked somewhat excitedly.

"Not exactly. I study dragons back at the reserve. It's my job to patch them up when they get hurt. When they fight with each other or get too rowdy. The babies do that from time to time- play too hard and hurt themselves."

"Baby dragons," I said in an awestruck voice.

"Doc patches us up from time to time, too," Charlie added with a grin. He rolled up his sleeve and showed me a large burn on his arm.

"Courtesy of the Horntail," he said.

"Would you like to help me put Dittany on her wounds, Miss Cain?" Doc asked me, nodding to the Fireball.

"Would I!" I exclaimed excitedly, "And you can call me Olivia."

"Wait," Charlie said as Doc crouched down next to what looked like a tool box. Doc looked at him questioningly. Charlie pulled out his wand and transfigured a rock on the ground into a vial. He approached the sleeping dragon and held the vial out to where bright red blood trickled from her wound. He let the vial fill, stoppered it, and handed it to me.

"I believe it is quite valuable as a potions ingredient," he said.

"Thank you Charlie," I said and hugged him. He looked quite pleased with himself and grinned his silly grin. I put an Unbreakable Charm on the vial and stowed it in my pocket.

"Pretty _and _talented," Doc said, winking at me, "Nice on, Charlie."

I smiled.

Doc pulled out his wand and tapped the box that was on the ground. It opened to reveal several compartments. He rummaged through it a moment, then pulled out a small bottle labeled Essence of Dittany.

"Wicked awesome," I said, nodding to the box. Doc smiled and handed me the Dittany.

"I don't have to tell you what to do with this, do I?" he said.

"No sir," I said, unstopping the bottle.

"You don't have to call me sir," he said with a wheezy laugh, "Doc will do just fine."

"How many drops, Doc?" I inquired, "Five?"

"That should do it," he said with a nod, "You have good instincts."

I meticulously let five drops fall onto the open wound. Greenish-grey smoke billowed upwards and the sleeping dragon let out a growl. I hesitantly stepped backwards.

"It's okay," Charlie assured me. "There's no chance of her waking up. She'll be out for quite a while. …You can touch her, if you like."

I stepped forward again. The dragon's wound was now closed, a layer of pink, scaleless skin covering it. I reached out cautiously and touched the dragon's scaly head. She didn't stir.

Charlie and I walked around to the other dragons with Doc and he let me help heal them. Once we were finished it was nearly dark outside.

"We'll be leaving in an hour, Charlie," Doc said, "You kids best go have fun while you can."

Charlie blushed and smiled at me somewhat sheepishly.

"Why don't we go see Windquest again before you leave?" I suggested as Doc walked away.

"Sounds good," he said, nodding in agreement.

In less than fifteen minutes we were inside the waterfall cave with the two hippogriffs. Charlie pulled an apple out of his pocket and tossed it to the little hippogriff who pounced on it, sniffed it, and swatted it back at Charlie.

"I know what you want you little bugger," he said, laughing. He pulled out a dried piece of meat and tossed it to Windquest, who caught it in midair and swallowed it. He bounded over to where Charlie and I sat and began to sniff Charlie. I chuckled and picked up the apple.

"You should eat your fruits and veggies, Windquest, they're good for you," I said, extending the apple to him. He sniffed it again doubtfully, then wolfed it down. Charlie smiled at me and leaned in for a kiss.

A short while later we were sitting at the edge of the cave, our feet hanging down over the ledge. The spray of the waterfall was soaking us but neither of us cared. We were sitting side by side and Charlie had his arm around me.

"I want you to have something," Charlie said, removing his arm. I watched curiously as he pulled something from underneath his robes and over his head. I allowed him to slip it over my head, then examined it.

"Is that-?"

"A dragon tooth? Yeah," he said, smiling, "From a baby Asian Lung."

"Wow… Is there one on your reserve in Romania?"

"No, no. I was traveling abroad in Asia. They had him on a reserve in Russia. His mother had been killed by poachers."

I was silent a moment, fingering the tooth.

"We should go," he said reluctantly, checking his watch.

I nodded and stood to go. We said goodbye to Windquest, mounted our brooms, and flew back towards the castle.

"We can fly back to the castle. That way you don't have to walk back alone," he said as we soared over the dragon enclosure.

We flew around the castle a while, reluctant to end our time together, but finally we landed by the lake.

"I guess this is it then," he murmured.

"Thank you Charlie. For everything. Today has been…amazing."

He nodded silently.

"You'll write me, won't you?" he asked.

"Of course."

"I'm going to miss you," he said and embraced me. We stood like that for a while with him resting his chin on top of my head. Finally he released me.

"Goodbye Olivia," he said on an exhale.

"Bye Charlie…"

I watched as he swung a leg over his broomstick and took off. He glanced back at me and waved. I waved back until he was out of sight, then I walked back to the castle.

I went down into the dungeons and started to head towards the Common Room. At the last minute I remembered the vial of dragons blood in my pocket. I didn't particularly feel like hearing Snape make snide remarks about Charlie. I paced indecisively a moment, then headed for Snape's office. At least I knew that his being difficult was his way of showing he cared about me.

I knocked on his office door and received a curt "Come in." I opened the door to find him sitting at his desk, reading the Evening Prophet.

"Well. Thought you'd be halfway to Romania by now," he sneered.

I scoffed.

"I knew you were going to be an ass. Why did I come down here again?"

"Beats me," he muttered, returning his gaze to the paper.

"Oh yeah," I said reaching into my pocket and pulling out the vial, "Here."

I set it down on his desk with a thud. He glanced up, then lay the paper aside.

"Is this what I think it is?" he asked, picking it up to examine it.

"Dragons blood. Fresh," I said, "From the Chinese Fireball."

"Well…You can tell Charlie I said thank you."

"I can't. He's gone," I said somewhat wistfully.

"I thought you weren't attracted to him anyway?"

"I wasn't. I'm not."

"Then why did you go off with him in the woods?"

"Were you spying on us?" I demanded.

"No!" he said, face flushing.

"Well, for your information, I went off with him because…well, it's nice to have someone who actually shows me affection."

"What?" he asked, scowling.

"Charlie is _nice _to me. He tells me I'm pretty and _smiles_ at me!"

"It's not my job to be nice to you," he snapped.

"I'm not saying it is, but would it kill you to show a little soft side?"

"I don't have a soft side," he retorted.

"You saved my life when I was a baby."

"Well what did you expect for me to leave you there to die? I'm not completely heartless!"

"Ha! _You _just contradicted yourself."

"I- oh shut up and go to bed."

"I don't want to."

He glared at me.

"Well fine…but I want to brew a potion with the dragon's blood tomorrow."

"We'll see," he said stiffly.

I made my way back to the Common Room thinking about my conversation with Snape. So much had happened that I had practically forgotten the first task had been today until I entered the Common Room to find Alex and Brandi waiting up for me.

"I can't believe you didn't tell us about the dragons," Alex said.

"And where did you sneak off to after the task?" Brandi asked.

"Oh are you speaking to me again?" I asked Brandi coolly.

"Of course. I was just…upset because you chose Snape over us."

"And I always will," I said firmly. "I made a promise to him."

"It's okay. I understand," Brandi assured me. "But who did you sneak off with? It wasn't Snape - we saw him looking around for you."

"I- he was looking for me?"

"Only briefly. Come on, spill the beans. Who were you with?"

"Well…I was with Charlie."

"Who's Charlie?" Brandi asked eagerly.

"He's one of the dragon handlers."

"Which one? I saw a couple of cute ones."

"Well he is rather short and sticky. He has long red hair - he had it in a ponytail today - and lots of freckles."

"Ooh. I know the one you're talking about. How did you meet him?"

"Severus and I had to brew a Sleeping Draught to help them keep the dragons under control. Charlie sent me an owl this morning and invited me to come see him before the first task. We hung out."

"_That's _why you weren't in Care of Magical Creatures this morning, "Alexandria said.

"Is that all you did? 'Hang out'?" Brandi asked with a knowing smirk.

"Well," I said, smiling slowly, "It's a little more complicated than that."

"I knew it. You like him."

"No. Well, he is nice and everything…and he loves animals…he showed me a baby hippogriff and let me heal a wounded dragon…and he really likes me…"

"He sounds perfect for you, Liv," Alex said.

"I know but…my heart already belongs to someone," I murmured sadly.

"But you and Charlie still-?" Brandi asked.

"We had fun. I love Severus, but…it was nice having someone hold me and kiss me."

They exchanged sad looks and smiled sympathetically.

"I'm exhausted," I said, standing suddenly, "I've had such a long day it feels like three days in one."

"Hey at least tomorrow is the weekend," Brandi said.

"Yeah. I'm going to sleep until lunchtime," I said, flopping down on my bed with a tired groan.

Tired as I was I still lay awake long after my friends had fallen asleep. I stared up at the ceiling, fingering my dragon tooth necklace absently, wondering if my decision to stay loyal to Severus - even though he didn't want me - was such a great decision after all.

**Snape's POV**

The weeks after the first task wore on and the weather outside grew cold and windy. I saw little of Olivia, besides during classes, and I strongly suspected she was in correspondence with Charlie… though I had sense enough to avoid the subject.

Christmas was fast approaching and I had forgotten one of the traditional aspects of the Triwizard Tournament…that is until Albus called the Heads of Houses up to his office one evening, a few weeks before Christmas.

"I am sure all of you have informed your students of the upcoming Yule Ball-" Albus said to the four of us.

I swore softly. I had completely forgotten.

"-And for those of you who haven't, there is still time," he continued with a twinkle in his eye, "It is also mandatory that each of you meets with your students of the year 4 and up at least once for a lesson in dancing."

At least I wasn't the only one to be repulsed by this idea. Minerva stiffened and Filius and Pomona shared a groan.

"Oh come now," said Albus, "It is a traditional aspect of the Triwizard Tournament. …I will leave it up to each of you when to meet with your students. You may each have the use of the Great Hall and Mr. Filch will assist with providing the music."

Before we left the headmaster's office, Filius and Pomona had agreed to talk to the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students together. Minerva and I would never submit to this, as our students would rather kill each other than be made to dance together.

"What day are you going to meet with your students?" I asked her casually as we left Albus' office.

"Friday evening probably," she said. I nodded thoughtfully. I decided then to spy on her meeting with her students before meeting with my own. I would just do whatever Minerva did.

I went back to my office and made a notice to go on the bulletin board in the Slytherin Common Room, telling all students in Year 4 and above to meet with me in the Great Hall Saturday at 3 p.m., after making sure Filch would assist me then. Olivia saw me putting the sign up and came over to read it.

"What's up?" she asked me, pointing at the sign.

"You'll have to wait until Saturday, like everyone else," I said. She made a face at me and walked back over to her friends.

Friday came quick enough. After dinner I hid myself in the Great Hall, waiting for Minerva's students to show up. She cleared the tables aside while Filch brought in the record player. When her students came Minerva separated the boys from the girls. She told them about the Yule Ball and how she expected them to be on their best behaviors and uphold the image of Gryffindor. I suppressed an eye roll. Then Filch started the music and she got one of the Weasley boys to dance with her, much to the amusement of his friends and older brothers. Then she brought the rest of the students together to practice dancing.

_Dance with a student! _I thought to myself. …It would have to be Olivia. I wouldn't dance with anyone else. Besides…we were cousins.

_Yeah, right, _I thought, _Cousins._

Still, I couldn't help but smile.

**Olivia's POV**

Saturday after lunch Brandi and Alex and I went back down to the Great Hall. We were the first ones there, besides Snape and Filch. Filch was messing around with a record player. I raised an eyebrow at Snape curiously and he carefully avoided my eye. When everyone had arrived, Snape directed the girls to sit on one side of the hall and the boys on the other.

"What is this, like a sex thing?" Brandi whispered.

Alexandria and I burst into giggles and I wondered if maybe she was right. It would explain why he was avoiding my gaze.

Snape cleared his throat to cut the chatter.

"Your attention," he said in one of his most deadly quiet voices. Everyone was of course already looking at him. I rested my head on one hand and started at him, smiling.

"An important event is fast approaching. An event which goes in hand with the Triwizard Tournament- the Yule Ball. On December 25th at 8 p.m. a dance will be held in the Great Hall for students in Grade 4 and up, though you may invite a younger student, if you so desire.

"I want it understood that I expect you all to be on your absolute best behavior or suffer my…displeasure."

"I'd like to suffer his displeasure," I whispered almost inaudibly to Brandi, who giggled.

Snape glared at us- or more specifically, at me. He continued to speak, his eyes on me.

"Per the headmaster's orders, you are to practice the waltz-"

A groan rose up from the crowd of Slytherins and several hisses and boos.

"Silence!" Snape said loudly and they all fell silent, "I will demonstrate first. If I hear so much as a snicker the person who uttered it will not be taking part in the Yule Ball- or any other part of the Triwizard Tournament, am I clear?"

Most everyone nodded, not daring to speak.

"Miss Cain," Snape said and I jumped slightly, "Up here, if you will."

My friends gasped quietly and urged me onto my trembling feet. I approached Snape silently and Filch started up the music.

"Severus," I whispered when I stood before him, "I don't know how to dance."

"It's okay. Just follow my lead," he said, taking one of my hands in his and placing one hand on my waist. Slowly he began to step, allowing me time to copy his movements. I grew used to the steps and soon we were waltzing around the hall.

"Everyone is looking at us," I whispered, my face burning.

"Everyone come together," Snape said loudly, over the top of my head, "On your feet, _now_."

They didn't hesitate to obey him. There was a little awkwardness as everyone found a partner. Brandi flushed a bright red when Draco Malfoy extended his arm to her. Alexandria looked frightened and her eyes pleaded for me to help her, but I was still waltzing with Snape and rather enjoying myself. Before long I saw Alexandria waltzing with a black-haired, blue-eyed seventh year.

Snape and I continued to dance though I was sure our instruction was no longer necessary. He pulled me closer to him and I leaned my head on his chest. He stopped suddenly and I stumbled. He steadied me with his hands, then left me and proceeded to walk around the room, critiquing everyone's dancing. Feeling a little lightheaded I went and sat on one of the benches. Snape didn't speak to me again throughout the lesson but every time I caught his eye, he would smirk.

When Snape dismissed us, my friends came back to me and the three of us walked back down to the Common Room together.

"This should be fun," Brandi said excitedly.

"Speak for yourself," Alex groaned, "I hate these sorts of things. Dancing and music and _dresses_. Ugh."

"Who are you taking then?" I asked Brandi.

"Well, I'd love to take Draco, but he'll probably go with someone in his own year. Maybe one of the Weasley twins," she said, blushing slightly.

"Which one?" Alex asked.

"Does it matter?" was her response, "…What about you, Liv? Who do you want to take?"

"Not any of these idiots, that's for sure," I muttered, "…I _wish _I could take-"

"Snape," they chorused, "We know."

"I can't believe he danced with you!" Brandi said. "What's with that?"

"Well he had to dance with someone," I said, trying to sound dismissive, "And we are like, cousins."

"Right," they said.

"But no matter how…_tolerant _Professor Dumbledore may be, I don't think he is going to let a teacher escort a student," Brandi said.

"You should just find a boy to go with," Alex added.

I sighed heavily.

"I don't want to talk about this anymore," I said, "And I'm _not _taking any of these idiots."

Over the next few weeks, all anyone talked about was the stupid Yule Ball. Brandi was asked out by a slew of boys from Hogwarts and Durmstrang. No one asked me…but I would have turned them down anyway.

I was helping Snape grade a bunch of antidote essays one afternoon. I was frowning in concentration, struggling through a third-year's particularly wretched grammar when Snape spoke.

"So, have you found a date for the Yule Ball yet?" he asked in a would-be casual way.

I let out a snort.

"Have _you_?" I retorted.

"Who would _I _take?" he asked, surprised.

"I'm sure there's a nice girl in the village who would have you."

He scoffed.

"You're avoiding my question," he said.

"No I haven't got a date. I don't want to go with any of these losers."

"Who do you want to go with?" he asked.

I crossed my arms and said nothing.

"Stupid question," he said to himself, then to me, "You should just pick one of your classmates."

I said nothing but stared back down at the essay I was grading. After a minute of illegible reading I gave the kid a D and moved on.

"Snape has a point you know," Brandi said later that evening, "There's only five days left until Christmas."

"This I know."

"You should just pick a guy."

"I am _not _going with a stupid boy," I growled.

"Why don't you just go with me?" Alex suggested with a laugh.

"Works for me, if you're serious," I said with a shrug, "As long as you don't get jealous if I sneak off with Severus."

"Wouldn't dream of it," she replied with a grin.

We spent the next few days telling everybody who asked that we were going together. We always laughed at the shocked expressions on everyone's faces. Yet on Christmas Eve I still found myself feeling somewhat depressed.

I walked around the snow-covered grounds of Hogwarts as the sun was setting, casting a red light on everything. I was wearing my Muggle jeans, a thick grey sweater, snow boots, and the cloak Snape had given me a while ago.

"Good evening, Olivia," said a voice. I turned to see Dumbledore coming towards me.

"Hi," I said reluctantly.

"Anything the matter?" he asked me.

"No…well, yes. The stupid Yule Ball."

"Why is it stupid?" he asked with a smile.

"It's not the ball itself… I don't want to go with any of the boys at school. They are all idiots."

"Who would you rather go with?"

"No one," I said, blushing faintly, "I mean…well, if I could…I would like to be able to go with Severus. It'd cheer him up at any rate. I'm not sure he even plans to go."

"Severus will be attending the Ball. He has no choice. However, I am afraid it would be inappropriate," said Dumbledore sympathetically, "Nevertheless…I would not begrudge you a dance."

This made me smile. At least I would have something to look forward to.

"If I can even get him to agree to that," I said, "Thank you."


	26. Year 6 Chapter 11

**Author's Note: **Ohh you guys are gonna love this chapter! I would have had it earlier, but someone has pointed out to me that I have a lot of errors, so I took the time to go back over it a third time. Enjoy!

~LilReporterGirl

**Snape's POV**

I awoke much earlier than I intended to on Christmas morning. I spent over an hour lying there, tossing and turning, trying to will myself back to sleep. I didn't want to get up and open presents. I didn't want to go down to breakfast and have Albus thrust his holiday cheer on me. And I _especially _didn't want to go to the Yule Ball and see Olivia dancing with various boys.

I didn't have much choice about the Ball, but it was almost lunchtime when I finally dragged myself out of bed and went into my office to open my two presents.

Yet there was only one present sitting on my desk. It was a silver inkstand, from Albus. There was nothing from Olivia.

Feeling depressed, I went down to lunch, which consisted of dozens of extravagantly cooked turkeys. Not that the food mattered to me. I was picking at whatever was on my plate and watching morosely at Olivia chatting spiritedly with her friends, Alexandria Daae and the French exchange student. She didn't even glance my way throughout the entire lunch period.

After lunch I went for a walk around the snow-covered grounds. The cold didn't bother me. There were kids out having snowball fights and building snowmen. It was hardly any less crowded around the castle as it was before the holidays.

To escape the noise, I went for a walk in the Forbidden Forest. It was silent, save for the twittering of a few birds. The snow covered the ground and trees and made everything look beautiful. Yet still my heart felt heavy with a feeling I could not shake- loneliness. The same way I had felt last Christmas when I had gone home and found a Muggle whore… I wouldn't be making _that _mistake again.

It was nearing seven o'clock when I returned to the castle. Boys were just now trudging their way into the castle to prepare for the Ball. No doubt the girls had gone in hours ago to start getting ready.

I headed down into the dungeons to my quarters. I changed clothes and grabbed my best black cloak. I brushed my teeth and hair, then gazed at my reflection in the mirror. I scowled at myself- why was I bothering anyway?

I tried to smile at my reflection, but the expression just didn't seem right on my face. So I settled for an expression which betrayed no emotion, sighed, and turned away from the mirror.

As eight o'clock approached I made my way out of the dungeons. The Entrance Hall was filled with students wearing dress robes. I was only mildly interested to see who had paired up with whom. Potter was Parvati Patil. Weasley was with Padma Patil. Malfoy was with Pansy Parkinson - that one I had expected.

Karkaroff entered the Entrance Hall then with his slew of Durmstrang boys behind him, all of whom had found dates among Hogwarts or Beauxbaton students.

A short while later Minerva, in robes of red tartan, opened the doors to the Great Hall and the students began to enter the hall. I milled around, pretending to oversee the students, not wanting to admit even to myself what I was actually doing. Finally I saw her. She came up out of the dungeons wearing an emerald-colored satin dress. Her red hair was more wavy than usual and flowed freely down her back. As she got closer I could tell she was wearing a little bit of mascara, some light pink lip gloss, and had sparkles dusted lightly on her face.

I was somewhat relieved to see she was on the arm of her friend Alexandria (who wore black silk dress robes) instead of some boy.

Olivia smiled when she saw me, but her smile slowly faded and she just looked at me silently. I wanted desperately to look away from her but somehow couldn't force myself to do so.

Only after all the students, including Olivia, had entered the Great Hall did I slip inside. The walls had all been coated in sparkling silver, with garlands of mistletoe and ivy draping across the black starry ceiling. The House tables had been replaced by some hundred lantern-lit tables, sitting about a dozen people each. Albus and Flitwick had done an excellent job of making the hall extravagantly beautiful, though nothing compared to how beautiful _she _looked…

I went and sat at the top table with the rest of the staff. Soon the champions started the opening dance. I couldn't help but notice Karkaroff shooting loathing looks at Krum's dance partner, a somewhat pretty girl in periwinkle robes. Her face looked slightly familiar to me and after a moment I realized it was Hermione Granger. I shook my head in wonder, then refocused my attention on Olivia, who was sitting with her friends.

After the dance was over, the champions sat down. The glittering plates were all empty but there were menus laying on all of the tables. Albus opened his own menu, then said "pork chops" to his plate, and pork chops appeared. Everyone seemed to get the idea and began to place orders. I didn't even bother to pick up my menu.

Karkaroff attempted to engage me in conversation but I was minimally responsive, choosing instead to let my eyes wander around the hall. Olivia's friend Brandi, who wore robes of pale blue, sat at the table with her. One of the Weasley twins sat with her. I supposed this must be her date.

After everyone had finished eating, Albus stood and with a wave of his wand, cleared away all the tables so that there was enough room for everyone to dance once the band came out. Olivia and the Daae girl were dancing and seemed to be having a good time. I was glad she was dancing with her friend…if I saw her dancing with a boy I would probably die.

I remained seated at the staff table, along with the others. By the third song even Minerva was dancing (with Ludo Bagman) and I found myself alone at the table. Albus noticed and came and sat down beside me.

"What's wrong, Severus?" he asked as the next song began. I muttered some excuse about not feeling well. I watched the twirling couples and the heavy feeling in my heart increased. I sighed. I didn't even see Olivia and Alexandria dancing anymore.

Towards the end of the song, I felt a small, warm hand on my shoulder. I looked up to see Olivia standing behind me. She looked somewhat anxious.

"Severus…will you dance with me…please?" she asked quietly. I glanced at Albus, who smiled and nodded his encouragement.

"Go on Severus," he said.

_I really should say no_, I thought to myself, but stood up anyway.

I led Olivia into the shadows, where we were less likely to be seen, though I was uncomfortably aware of Albus' eyes on us.

When the next song started it was a slow song. I lost my nerve and started to go sit down but Olivia grabbed my hands. She placed one of my hands on her waist and held my other hand tightly in hers. _God help me_, I thought as we began to revolve slowly. As the song went on she leaned close to me. The intoxicating scent of raspberries filled my nose. I wondered if she could feel my heart beating wildly in my chest?

The song was over too soon. Olivia clung to me a moment longer. A voice from the stage announced they would now play a compilation of Muggle songs for the Muggleborn students. I started to tear myself away from Olivia's warm embrace when the song started, slow and soft. I froze. It was the song "Desperado" by the Eagles…my parents' song.

Without even thinking about it, I began to dance with Olivia again, my feet moving on their own. I closed my eyes and listened to the words of the song, thinking that they were oddly fitting.

I remembered back to a conversation my mother and I had when I was maybe eight years old. Tobias was at work and she had been using her wand to do the housework and singing the song. I was sitting in the corner, watching her as she used her wand to conduct the dishes as they washed themselves. She had a black eye from the night before, when he had gotten drunk and beat her again. She saw me looking at her eye and she stopped singing.

"Love is a very powerful thing, Severus," she said to me, "When you love someone, you will do anything for them. Take anything from them… And still love them."

"_He _doesn't love you," I said bitterly, "That isn't love."

Her black eyes flashed at me.

"Tobias loves me," she said defensively, "…If he didn't, he wouldn't still be here, now would he? …You're just a kid. You don't know anything about love. …You'll understand someday."

"If that's love, I never want to be in love," I had said, crossing my arms.

"Love is a powerful, wonderful thing. If you don't let yourself love or feel love, well, then you're worse off than he is."

I opened my eyes as the song ended. Olivia looked up into my eyes, hugged me and stepped away. She looked up at me, her emerald eyes sparkling.

"Thank you," she said quietly. She was neither smiling nor frowning and her voice sounded so sad, I could practically feel my heart breaking.

I attempted to scowl at her, but it was useless. I turned my face away so my eyes would not betray me. Then I sighed and returned to the staff table, leaving her there in the shadows.

Albus was dancing once again but when the song ended he returned to me.

"Are you alright Severus?" he asked me.

"…I think I need some air. I feel ill," I muttered. I stood and left the hall.

The doors to the Entrance Hall stood open. Outside the grounds had been decorated with rose bushes, which twinkled with fairy lights. There were statues and fountains and benches along the path.

I began to walk the path, but was soon ambushed by Karkaroff, who seemed intent on talking about the Mark. It had been growing clearer for months. I had been trying my best to ignore it and him. I especially didn't want to think about it _now_.

I let him talk, though I was frowning the whole time. I occupied myself by blasting apart rosebushes that half-concealed fumbling young couples. I took house points indiscriminately as they ran away, either giggling or embarrassed. It did my heart good to be able to blast apart roses, the symbol for love, and to ruin everyone else's good time.

"I really don't see what there is to fuss about, Igor," I said finally, hoping to ditch Karkaroff.

"Severus, you cannot pretend this isn't happening!" he said anxiously, "It's been getting clearer and clearer for months. I am becoming seriously concerned, I can't deny it-"

"Then flee," I said curtly, "Flee- I will make your excuses. I, however, am remaining at Hogwarts."

I blasted apart another rosebush, then paused when I saw Potter and Weasley coming down the path.

"What are you two doing?" I demanded as Karkaroff twitched anxiously beside me.

"Walking. Not against the law now, is it?" Weasley said shortly.

"Keep walking then," I snarled and brushed past them.

Eventually I was able to free myself of Karkaroff by telling him I was due to meet Olivia somewhere.

"Ah," he said with a twisted grin, "You sly old dog, you."

I resisted the urge to curse him- it almost took a physical effort not to do so- and slipped away down a side path.

I found a statue of a reindeer which was thickly surrounded by rose bushes. After making sure the bushes were void of students, I sat down on a bench near the statue. I found myself looking up at the twinkling stars, the lonely feeling still heavy in my heart.

A sudden rustling in the bushes alerted me and I tightened my grip on my wand, prepared to blast the bushes aside. Suddenly Olivia stepped out of the bushes. I lowered my wand and pretended not to be watching her as she picked leaves off her dress. I looked back up at the stars.

"What's wrong Severus?" she asked me.

"…Nothing," I replied roughly. She walked over and sat beside me on the bench- not too close, but a respectful distance away.

"Something," she said gently, "…Your eyes are sad."

I said nothing. I didn't trust myself to speak. I was afraid if I opened my mouth, I'd start spilling my guts to her. She sighed softly, like a breath of wind, and took my hand in hers. For once I did not pull away, but glanced down at our clasped hands. Her hands were small and warm compared to my own. Her fingernails were painted the same emerald color as her dress. Her nails were short and even, her skin soft and pale. I imagined my hands felt rough and calloused to her. My hands were ugly, but hers…hers were beautiful. Strange how I'd never noticed how beautiful her hands were before.

Finally I tore my eyes away and gazed back up at the stars. Still I did not release her hand. I closed my eyes. The lonely feeling had dissipated, but my heart still felt heavy in my chest. After a moment I realized she was shaking. I looked down at her. She was shivering from the cold- no wonder, as her dress was short and her shoulders were bare. Without really thinking, I closed the distance between us and draped my arm across her shoulders along with part of my cloak.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

I didn't speak for a minute.

"…You didn't get me a Christmas present," I said quietly. She looked up at me and smiled.

"Is that why you are sulking?" she inquired.

"Am I sulking?"

"Yes."

"…No, that's not why I'm sulking."

We were silent for a while and eventually she slipped her arm around me and leaned against me for warmth. I could hear the music from the Hall drifting eerily across the silent grounds. I knew what I wanted now, but was still reluctant.

"What's wrong, Severus?" she asked again, her face pressed against my chest.

I hesitated a moment.

"Well…I should very much like to kiss you," I said slowly. She inclined her head upwards to look at me. I wanted to avoid her gaze but I couldn't make myself look away from those beautiful emerald eyes. She smiled slowly.

"I would like that a lot," she said softly.

I leaned down and when our lips met it was like an electric current passed between us. Warmth spread through my entire body and the heavy feeling that had been in my heart all night- for years, really- was lifted.


	27. Year6 Chapter 12

**Author's Note: **Time for that M-rating that you've all been waiting for! Enjoy! (Oh and thanks for all the comments and happy birthday to Jado- here is an early birthday present!)

~LittleReporterGirl

**Olivia's POV**

I was in absolute heaven! First he had danced with me, now he was kissing me! I could scarcely believe I wasn't dreaming. Kissing him was so much different that kissing Lupin. With Lupin it was hungry, unbridled desire. With Snape there was passion and longing. He kissed me slowly, savoring every moment, though it seemed it would never end. I didn't _want _it to end. Unfortunately, I couldn't exactly breathe. I tried to make it last as long as I could. When I finally pulled away I felt lightheaded and giddy- from the kiss or the lack of oxygen, or both.

Snape still had his eyes closed and hadn't moved- I couldn't help but smile.

"Shit," he breathed and finally opened his eyes. He started to pull away, but I grabbed his arm.

"No," I said firmly, "You can't take that back."

He hesitated.

"…Well," he said gently, "What do you want to do?"

I gave him a look and he smiled slightly.

"…Not at school," he said after a minute.

"Then let's go _home_," I said emphatically.

He thought about it a moment. While he thought, I nuzzled against him, inhaling his scent. I kissed his jawbone and he exhaled slowly.

"Okay. I should tell Dumbledore- make up an excuse-"

"To hell with Dumbledore," I whispered in his ear, "I want you now."

He let out a low groan and stood up, brining me with him. He quickly tapped me atop my head with his wand and I felt myself go invisible. I still clung to him as we hurried towards the gate, partially for warmth and partially because it somehow felt that if I let him go he would vanish.

We slipped out of the gate and he closed it behind us.

"Hold tight to me," he murmured, putting his arms around me.

_You don't have to tell me twice_, I thought to myself, smiling.

He held me close and Disapparated.

We appeared in the darkness of my room at Spinner's End. I felt nauseous and dizzy and released Snape to fall back on my bed.

"Are you okay?" he asked, concerned, "You didn't splinch, did you?"

"No…but it feels like I left half of my stomach at Hogwarts," I groaned.

"Sorry."

"It's okay. I just need a minute."

While I took a moment to recover I heard him move around the room in the dark. A second later the room was flooded with green light. He then walked over to me and tapped me on the head again so I became visible. Once visible, I became a little less nauseated. He lay his wand on my bedside table and sat down beside me.

"…May I kiss you again?" he asked uncertainly.

I smiled at him.

"You don't have to ask, you know," I said. He smiled as well, leaned over and kissed me again.

We kissed for what seemed like hours, breaking only every few minutes to take a few gasps of air before resuming our heated kissing. I kept expecting him to make a move but he didn't. Then it occurred to me- he still wanted to be a gentleman, to do the right thing. He'd probably be content just to kiss me all night long. I would have to make the first move if I wanted this to get anywhere tonight.

In the midst of our kissing I swung one leg over him and placed my hands on his shoulders, straddling him. I could feel his erection against my thigh. Smiling, I pushed him back on the bed. I kissed him a while longer then began to undo his pants. He clasped his hands around mine.

"Are you certain about this?" he murmured, somewhat breathless.

"Quite certain…and I have been for some time. …Are _you _certain?" I asked, recalling how adamantly he had resisted me before and wondering if it was really fair of me.

"I don't know…but we've already gone this far…"

I kissed him again reassuringly and freed his erection. I moved down and quickly flicked my tongue over the head and he let out a groan. His body spasmed once. I looked up at him and raised an eyebrow.

"I'm okay," he said, voice strained. I smiled.

"You're so cute," I said, then continued to lick and suck him.

I continued this until he was about to explode, then he stopped me. He pulled me up and kissed me, then flipped me over on my back. I was pleased that he was finally taking control. He slipped my dress up and ran his hand up my inner thigh, drawing a ragged gasp from me.

He touched me, running his fingers over me through my lacy black panties, which were already wet. I could see him smiling. He pushed my underwear to the side and started to slip one finger inside of me. He stopped, surprised.

"You're a virgin!" he exclaimed.

"Well, yeah," I replied with a small smile.

He groaned and a hungry look came into his black eyes. He pushed me farther back on the bed and practically ripped my panties off and tossed them on the floor.

I was dripping wet and more than ready for him, but I denied him entry at the last minute. He looked at me questioningly.

"Are you sure about this?" I asked teasingly.

"God yes!" he groaned.

"I want you to say it."

"I want this. I want you," he said, kissing my neck.

I chuckled softly.

"About time you realized it," I said lightly and spread my legs.

He placed himself at my entrance and entered me slowly. I wrapped my arms around his neck and held on tight. I bit back a cry when he broke the barrier.

"I'm sorry," he murmured and kissed me.

"It's okay," I assured him. He continued, slower, until he was all the way inside of me. It felt amazing, having him inside me. Slowly he moved out until he was almost all the way out, then he pushed back in. He did this slowly several times.

"Faster," I said finally, gasping. He obliged happily.

It wasn't long before I felt myself beginning to slip over the edge.

"Fuck yes!" I cried loudly, "Oh Severus…Fuuuck!"

The most amazing orgasm ever came crashing over me, and at the same time he let out a cry and came inside of me.

When we were both exhausted we collapsed on the bed.

"Are you happy now?" I asked him once I had caught my breath.

"Quite possibly," he replied, then smiled, a truly pleased smile which I had never seen before. I smiled as well and kissed him again.

Some while later we lay curled together on my bed. He had his arm around me, his fingers linked with mine, his chin resting atop my head, like I had always dreamed. But this was so much better than a dream. I could feel his warm breath on my hair and could smell his scent.

He inhaled deeply and sighed.

"I love you," he murmured. My heart gave a jolt.

_Did he really just say that? _I thought to myself, shocked.

I considered saying it back, but somehow couldn't bring myself to say it. I felt it…or at least I _thought _I felt it…but the last time I had said it, it hadn't turned out so good for me. So I pretended I was asleep. I felt him sigh again and he relaxed. Soon his breathing slowed and he was asleep. I sighed, nestled myself against him, and was soon asleep myself.

**Author's Note: **Okay you guys, leave me lotsa reviews and let me know what you think! I will try and have the next chapter posted as soon as possible.

~LittleReporterGirl


	28. Year6 Chapter 13

**Author's Note: **Thanks for all the lovely reviews everyone, they made me really happy! I noticed I picked up a few new readers as well, welcome. J Alright, I won't keep you waiting any longer. Here's the next chapter.

~LilReporterGirl

The next morning, I awoke with a smile on my face. Snape had his arm around me and I was now facing him, my face buried in his chest. I wanted to wake him up by kissing him but when I looked up at him his black eyes were already open and he was looking down at me, smiling.

"This probably was not a very good idea," he said, still smiling.

"No, probably not," I agreed.

"This must never happen at school…and you can never tell anyone."

"Agreed."

"You must employ your powers of Occlumency around Moody and Dumbledore…especially Dumbledore."

"Of course."

He smiled and leaned down to kiss me.

"…We do have to go back to Hogwarts today," he said after a minute.

"Why?" I asked, "It's the holidays."

"Someone will notice if we aren't at lunch. Albus will notice."

I sighed. He did have a point. I made my sad puppy dog face.

"Wh-…We could come back. Tonight. If you want," he said slowly.

"If _you _want," I said.

He nodded. Still we lay there, not wanting to let go of our time together.

"We have to get up eventually," he said, "…You should take a shower and change clothes."

"You mean put on clothes," I said with a smile.

Finally I got up. I was completely naked. My dress and undies lay discarded on the floor. I smiled at Snape, who was watching me with lust-filled eyes. Then I made my way to the bathroom, without bothering to put on clothes or grab any to put on after I had showered.

I stayed in the shower for a long while, somewhat hoping Snape was going to join me. When it became obvious he wouldn't, I washed and stepped out of the shower. I made my way back to my room, dripping wet, but Snape was no longer there. My bed had been made and may dress lay folded on the bed, my underwear on top.

I dressed in Muggle jeans and a t-shirt, then made my way downstairs where Snape in the kitchen. There was food on the table which he had summoned. Neither of us ate much. I was too happy to be hungry and he seemed content just to stare at me. He wasn't smiling or frowning, but his gaze was soft and I could tell he was pleased as well.

Finally we stopped putting it off and we Disapparated back to Hogwarts together with Snape holding my hand. We appeared outside of the gates and he squeezed my hand before releasing it. It was cold and snowing and no one was out on the grounds, so Snape did not make me apply a Disillusionment Charm. We walked up to the castle slowly, careful not to stand too close together, though I was cold and found myself wishing he would put his arms around me. I glanced at him quickly. He smiled somewhat sadly, then made his face go blank as we entered the Entrance Hall.

It turned out we were just in time for lunch. I told Snape to go into the Great Hall first and then I followed a few minutes later, careful not to look up at the staff table. I sat down next to Brandi and Alex, who immediately began bombarding me with questions.

"Where did you _go _last night?" Brandi asked.

"You never came in," Alex added.

"You left with him didn't you? We saw you dancing-" Brandi said, smiling.

"Then you both disappeared."

"Did you _do _it?" Brandi asked in a loud whisper.

"Shh," I said to them, glancing around until I was sure no one was paying attention, "I can't tell you. Seriously. We would get in major trouble."

"Oh my gosh, you _did_," Brandi whispered, "I'm so psyched for you."

"How was it?" Alex asked, eyes wide.

"Amazing," I sighed. They both grinned.

I smiled, unable to help myself.

After breakfast my friends and I went down to the Common Room. We sat around the fireplace and talked.

"So how did your nights go?"

"I danced with Draco," Brandi said triumphantly.

"_And _the Weasley boy kissed her goodnight," Alex added.

"Ew, dude, Malfoy? _Why_?" I asked.

"He's sexy as hell."

"He's a creeper. Just like his father."

"Some would say _Snape _is a creeper," Brandi pointed out.

"She does have a point," Alex said.

"Touché," I said.

Later that night, after everyone had gone to sleep, I got out of abed and dressed in a short black skirt and a green satin top I had borrowed from Brandi. I put on warm boots and Snape's cloak so that I would be warm outside. As I started to leave to dormitory, Alex lifted her head and looked at me.

"Have fun," she said, smiling sleepily at me.

"I will."

I cast my Disillusionment Charm, then made my way silently to the Entrance Hall where Snape was waiting for me. He said nothing but linked his mind with mine when I came out of the dungeons. I could immediately sense his lust - he wasn't exactly trying to hide it but he smiled rather nervously at me, looking rather embarrassed. I smiled, completely turned on.

I followed him, invisible and silent, out of the castle. He quickened his pace as we walked across the grounds and I jogged after him. As soon as we were safely outside the gate, he put his arms around me and we Disapparated.

We appeared in my bedroom and I immediately pushed him back onto the bed, kissing him hungrily. I could feel his already-hard dick against my thigh. I kissed him slowly and began to undo the buttons on his shirt. As I did this, he undid my cloak, which slid to the floor. I stopped hissing him long enough to pull off his shirt. I rubbed his throbbing hardness through the fabric of his pants as I kissed him and his breath caught.

"Off," I said, tugging at his pants. He smiled slowly and stood. I stayed sitting on the bed. As he removed his pants, I noticed something.

"You have scars on your back," I said quietly. He said nothing but froze. I touched his back, gently running my fingers down the long, pale scars that ran vertically down his back.

He sat down with a heavy sigh.

"…I don't want to talk about it," he said softly.

I kissed his back gently. He shuddered pleasantly. I smiled and trailed kisses down his spine. His breathing became ragged and he turned to look at me, his black eyes filled with lust. I pulled him back onto the bed and leaned down to kiss him. He was fully erect and I could tell he was longing to be touched.

Slowly I trailed kisses across his jaw line, down his neck, his chest, his stomach. He spasmed beneath me as I kissed his stomach, but he didn't cum. I trailed kisses lower, licked him a moment, then stopped and went back to kissing his lips.

"That's not very nice," he said breathlessly, smirking.

"Oh is it? Am I being naughty, Professor? Maybe I need to be punished."

He let out a low groan and before I knew it I was on my back.

"You are _so _bad," he said, kissing me hungrily. Then he was inside of me. I moaned loudly as he pushed deeper. It felt so amazing, I almost climaxed. He pulled out slowly.

"No," I whimpered, grinding my hips against him, "Fuck me."

He moved in and out of me. Each time he pushed all the way in the passion intensified.

"Faster Professor. Fuck me, harder," I said, feeling very naughty.

"I love it when you do that," he groaned and thrust into me harder, "Say it again."

"Fuck me Professor. Cum inside me."

I let out a cry as he flooded me with his hot cum and I came as well, wrapping my legs around his waist to keep him inside me.

We made love passionately for three hours, both of us achieving multiple orgasms. We lay together, exhausted, and Snape put his arms around me. I felt his breathing slow and I thought he had fallen asleep until he spoke.

"I want to tell you…about the scars…but it's difficult," he said, "…I've never told anyone before."

"You don't have to."

"I want to."

He was silent again, then I felt him enter my mind. I opened myself to him.

"Close your eyes," he murmured. I obeyed.

It was almost like a dream. It was blurry at first, then came into view. A pale, dark-haired boy was bent over the floor, crying out in pain as a tall, angry man raised a belt to strike him again and again. A woman sat in a dusty corner, silent tears streaming down her face. There was a time she would have spoken out, told Tobias not to hurt him, to hurt her instead, but those days were gone. She was a broken woman now. She loved her child, but was just glad it wasn't her getting beaten.

Snape withdrew from my mind. My heart felt wrenched and I was furious at Tobias Snape. I put my arms around Snape.

"…Was he a drunk?" I asked quietly.

He nodded silently.

"…Ellen had a boyfriend once who was like that. The first time he put his hands on me she kicked him to the curb. …I felt bad though. She really loved him. I felt like it was my fault."

He said nothing, but held me tighter and kissed my forehead. We fell asleep in each others arms.

Snape and I spent every night of the Christmas holidays together. The last day before classes resumed we left Hogwarts right after breakfast and didn't return until early the next morning. Snape was adamant about not pursuing our relationship within Hogwarts.

"I can't even kiss you?" I asked while in his office before breakfast.

"No. We could both be in serious trouble. …Just wait until Summer gets here. We'll have three months together."

"We'll probably never leave the house," I said with a naughty grin.

The weeks wore on and the snow outside started to melt. Snape and I kept our relationship borderline appropriate with him giving me little smiles from time to time, when no one was looking and me "accidentally" brushing against him when we worked on Potions together.

One evening I snuck out after curfew. I had been feeling trapped and bored. The impending air of the second task had everyone on edge. I planned to take my broomstick and go fly over the forest, which usually made me feel better. I had just ascended into the air when I spotted something on the far side of the lake - two people - one had long white hair and a beard. It could only be Dumbledore or Father Christmas. The person standing next to him was dressed in all black and had pale skin. He was as easily recognizable, to me anyway, as Dumbledore was. It was Snape.

I quickly dropped back to the ground and stowed my broom away. I had applied my Disillusionment Charm so they couldn't see me… but it was only a matter of time before they realized I was there. They were both very capable wizards.

I was curious to see what they were up to, wondering, of course, if it had anything to do with me. I didn't much care if I got caught out after hours so I made my way quietly over to where they stood at the edge of the lake.

When I reached them, Dumbledore was kneeling by the water. He was speaking quietly in some strange, screeching language that I didn't recognize. Snape was standing beside him, looking bored, staring out over the lake. I couldn't see who or what it was Dumbledore was talking to so I took a few steps closer. My foot inadvertently stepped on a twig which snapped loudly. Snape whirled around, wand out, alert. Dumbledore, however, remained crouched a moment longer.

"Show yourself, intruder, or I will blast you to pieces," Snape snarled.

"Relax, Severus," said Dumbledore, slowly standing to face me, "The only intruder is Miss Cain."

Snape immediately lowered his wand.

"Olivia, please remove your Disillusionment Charm," the headmaster said to me.

"Yes sir," I said and obeyed.

"What are you doing out after hours?" Snape asked me, frowning.

"Couldn't sleep," I said simply, peering past him at the lake, "…Are those _real _Merpeople?"

"They are, "Dumbledore confirmed, "They are to play a vital part in the second task. …Perhaps you could be of some help as well, Olivia."

"Me, sir?"

"Yes. You see, the golden egg that each champion got in the first task held a clue that told them what the second task would be. Something dear will be taken from each champion and hidden at the bottom of the lake and will be guarded by Merpeople."

"Of course, Merpeople aren't the only thing in the lake," Snape added darkly.

"What can I do to help, sir?" I asked.

"You and Severus can brew a special potion we will need. You see, the thing being taken from each champion…is a friend. For instance, Ron Weasley will be taken for Harry Potter to recover."

"Ah. I didn't know there was a potion that would allow someone to breathe underwater."

"It is called Gilly Draught, "Snape informed me, "The effects last six hours."

"Which will be plenty of time. The champions will only have an hour to recover their person. We'll take them down the morning of the task."

"How are you going to get them to the bottom of the lake? Isn't it miles deep?" I inquired.

"I thought you could come in handy then as well. You undoubtedly know of the plant Gillyweed and its effects?"

"Of course."

"Well, if you could take it and assist the Merpeople in getting them down to the bottom of the lake…"

"That sounds dangerous," Snape said at the same time I said "That sounds fun."

Dumbledore smiled at us both.

"Ultimately the decision will be up to Severus, as he is your guardian," Dumbledore said to me, "If you don't do it, one of us will have to and personally, I'd rather not. The lake is cold and I am an old man. It would undoubtedly be kinder to yet a young person go."

"We'll have to talk about it," Snape said stiffly.

"Very well. If you will please excuse me," Dumbledore said, turning back to the Merpeople who were still floating in the shallows. He began to speak to them in the screeching language again.

"Is that mermish?" I asked Snape.

He nodded, then motioned for me to follow him a little ways away while Dumbledore talked to the Merpeople.

"Why are you out after hours? What if Moody caught you?"

"Psh. I'm not scared of that old codger. Besides, _you _didn't even know I was here."

"…Well, you should've at least let me know you were going to be out and about."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know I was supposed to report my every action to you," I replied somewhat coldly.

He was silent a moment. He looked almost hurt and I immediately felt guilty.

"I just mean I would like to know when you plan on putting yourself in dangerous situations so that I know to worry and hopefully take action to prevent you from getting in trouble. …I like knowing where you are. It puts my mind at ease."

"Severus," I murmured quietly, touched by his concern. At that moment Dumbledore stood and the Merpeople disappeared into the depths of the lake.

"It's all settled then," he said cheerfully, "You two can come to my office early the morning of the second task and administer the potion and, I think, assist me in getting the four "captives" down to the lake."

"Sounds like a plan," I said eagerly.

"Severus, why don't you walk Olivia back up to the castle?" Dumbledore suggested.

"I still need to speak with you, headmaster," Snape said somewhat dryly.

"You may come see me in my office after seeing Olivia inside."

"Very well. Come," Snape said to me. I caught his eye and smirked. He just shook his head.

**Snape's POV**

I rather enjoyed walking back to the castle with Olivia, despite that we walked in silence most of the way. As we got closer to the castle, she glanced at me curiously.

"What is it you have to talk to Dumbledore about?" she inquired. I sighed heavily. I considered not telling her - I didn't want her to worry - but since our Christmas break…well, I knew I could trust her.

"…It's not safe to talk about here. Come to my office."

"You're actually gonna tell me? Cool," she said with a grin, following me.

Olivia followed me into my office and I shut and locked the door. She flopped down in her usual chair and looked at me curiously.

"The thing I want to talk to Albus about," I said, rolling up my sleeve, "Is this."

I showed her the Dark Mark on my forearm that had been growing clearer since the Summer.

"What…what does it mean?" she asked quietly.

"I don't know for sure but… Albus thinks Pettigrew found the Dark Lord and is working on bringing him back to power."

"And what do you think?"

"Well…normally I agree with Albus, but…" I sighed heavily and sat down at my desk, "I don't want him to be back. You don't know what it would mean for me…"

I almost said 'for us' but didn't. I think she knew what I meant anyway though.

"You would have to go back… risk your life... Again."

"Probably…"I said tightly, "…You…you should go to bed. I need to talk to Dumbledore."

"I understand," she said quietly. She stood and approached my desk. She took my hand in hers and squeezed it tightly. I looked up into her emerald eyes filled with love and compassion and it scared me. I looked away quickly and released her hand.

Once she was gone I sat silently at my desk a while longer, thinking. The things I was feeling…they scared me. It was love…I was almost certain. And I didn't want to screw it up, as I was likely to do.

I took a few minutes, then went upstairs to talk to Dumbledore. I showed him the Mark, which was even darker than it had been when I showed him before, only a few months ago.

"We must wait and let things unfold," he said finally, "We know nothing for certain."

"But if he is back - if the Dark Lord returns…you want me to go back, don't you?"

"Not at first, of course. That would be too suspicious - "

"What if I don't want to?" I interrupted.

"Then Lord Voldemort would hunt you down as a traitor. Severus, you made a promise - what's caused you to change your mind?"

I said nothing.

"It's Olivia, isn't it?" he asked, smiling.

"Wha- I- …Yes," I admitted, "Before…Before it was just me. Now I have someone to care for…who depends on me."

"I have considered this, Severus. You are no good to Olivia dead…which is why you must keep up your façade."

"But what will I do? I'll have to tell Him about her, won't I?"

"It would be wise not to keep this a secret from him, yes...but don't worry about it now, Severus. There is no point in worrying about something that hasn't happened yet."


	29. Year 6 Chapter 14

**Olivia's POV**

The next evening I snuck out of the castle again after hours. I still wanted to go for a fly, feel the wind in my hair. The moon was almost full but not quite and I soared over the trees of the Forbidden Forest with plenty of light to see by. Owls and bats flew around me, not seeming to mind my presence in their airspace. When I started back towards the castle I saw someone down by the lake. Thinking it might be Dumbledore and Snape again, I dropped to the ground just outside of the forest and applied my Disillusionment Charm. I made my way quietly to the edge of the lake. By the time I reached the figure a second person had climbed out of the water of the lake. It was Viktor Krum and he was wearing nothing but boxer shorts, his hair sopping wet. The other figure was Karkaroff and I was close enough to see that he was letting his eyes wander inappropriately over his student's body. I had to stop myself from chuckling and just smiled.

"You will do just fine tomorrow, Viktor," Karkaroff said, putting a hand on his shoulder as the two walked back towards the Durmstrang ship, "You just have to keep your head. Concentration is key."

Krum just nodded, looking moody and surly. I couldn't help but think maybe he was a bit annoyed with his headmaster's clearly perverted behavior.

I watched the two of them go into the ship together and jumped when a hand closed on my shoulder.

"Olivia, really?" Snape's voice said.

I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh, it's just you. You scared the crap out of me. I thought maybe it was a teacher…or a bad guy."

"I _am _a teacher, Olivia…and a bad guy," he said.

"You're not a bad guy," I said, rolling my eyes.

"What are you doing out, besides spying on Karkaroff?"

"Well he is a creep. Did you see how he was leering at Krum?"

"He always has been a bit off color…but still. You shouldn't be out after curfew without permission."

"I needed to fly and clear my head."

"Fly during the day, like normal people."

"But then there aren't any bats…and I like the moon better than the sun."

"Right," he said with a snort, "…Have you already been for a fly?"

"Yes."

"Then off to bed."

"Yes sir," I said with a small smile that he couldn't see, since I was invisible.

It was several days before Snape told me it was time to start work on the potion for the second task. Since the night by the lake, I had been researching the Gilly Draught. It wasn't an extremely complicated potion, but it had to be watched carefully for the last few hours before it was finished. It would take a full twenty-four hours of stewing before it could be bottled.

"We'll start after dinner tonight," Snape told me on Thursday morning after his class.

I had also been thinking a lot about what he had told me. About the Mark and the Dark Lord growing stronger. I was worried. Who wouldn't be? If he came back, people would die…and Snape could easily be one of them. The thought made my heart jump and I always forced it from my mind and concentrated on something else.

I hurried through dinner that evening, eager to start my work with Snape.

"What's your hurry, Liv?" Alex asked me as I drained my cup of Pumpkin Juice.

"I'm helping Severus with a very important potion," I said, smiling.

"Something you can't tell us about?" Brandi asked.

"It's to do with the second task, isn't it?" Alex added, grinning.

"Maybe," I said mischievously.

"Ooh. Well we know you can't tell us… but can you give us a hint?" Brandi asked eagerly.

"Well…the Black Lake. That's all I'm saying," I said quickly, standing up, "See you guys later."

I hurried down to the dungeons, stopping by the dormitory first to change out of my school robes. I dressed quickly in a short black skirt, an emerald green top and heels that I borrowed from Brandi's trunk. I stood in front of the mirror a moment, checking my reflection, then I brushed my hair, added some eyeliner and lipgloss, and left.

I knocked on the door to the Potions classroom and was told to enter. I opened the door and shut and locked it behind me. Snape was sitting at his desk. He was dressed the same as always, but I could tell he had brushed his hair since dinner and added a dash of cologne. I smiled at him and he smiled back, looking me over.

"Let's get started, shall we?" I said, approaching his desk.

"With the potion," Snape said.

"Of course. That's what I meant."

Snape smirked and shook his head.

"Alright, you get the cauldron ready- size 4," Snape said, "I'll gather the ingredients."

"Yes Professor," I said with a little smile. He paused, looked at me, shook his head again and walked over to the supply cupboard.

I got the cauldron he wanted and set it up. He laid the ingredients out on the counter, then got a textbook off his desk and opened it to the page with the Gilly Draught.

"We'll start with asphodel and bat spleen. I'll take care of the spleen, I know you don't like organs. You get the silver dagger and slice the asphodel."

I nodded compliantly and began to slice the roots.

An hour later we started the fire beneath the cauldron. Snape checked the book.

"Once it starts to boil, we add diced gillyweed," he said.

"On it," I said, sliding the gillyweed across the counter to me and picking up the knife.

"No, no," Snape said, coming up behind me, "Like this."

He pressed himself against me and took the knife in hand. I smiled and chuckled quietly as he rested his chin on my shoulder while he showed me how to dice the gillyweed. When he had diced it all, he laid the knife down and put his arms around my waist. He kissed me neck softly, his warm breath on my skin causing chills.

There was a knock on the door and he sprang away from me.

"Shit," he whispered, "Please, God, don't' let it be Moody."

I quickly turned back to the counter and started shredding the knotgrass I knew we would need later. Snape opened the door and I peeked over my shoulder to see Dumbledore standing in the doorway.

"Good evening, Severus. Olivia. How is the potion coming?" he asked.

"So far so good," Snape said, "It's not a particularly complicated potion."

"I know, just thought I would check. It has to be perfect."

"It will be, sir," I assured him, looking over my shoulder again. The headmaster smiled.

"Thank you Olivia. Severus, can I see you in my office when the two of you are finished?"

"Of course, sir…but it will be rather late," Snape said.

"I shall be awake," he assured him, "Don't keep Olivia up too late - she still has classes in the morning."

When Dumbledore was gone, Snape shut the door, but this time he didn't lock it. I turned and looked at him.

"Damn," I said softly.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I shouldn't have pushed the boundaries. …It won't happen again."

"It can't happen again," I agreed reluctantly, "…The potion is boiling."

"Right, uh…gillyweed," he said, nodding to me. I scooped up the diced gillyweed and walked over to the cauldron. As I was walking back, I twisted my ankle and hit the ground.

"Ow!"

"Are you okay, Liv?" Snape asked hurrying over to me.

"Stupid- fucking- shoes," I growled, ripping the heels off and throwing them across the room.

"Don't say fuck," Snape said, helping me to my feet.

I looked up into his black eyes and licked my lips.

"Fuck," I whispered.

He shook his head.

"Is your ankle okay?" he asked. I tested it and winced.

"I'm fine," I said.

"No," he said, "You're not. Come here."

He led me over to his desk and sat me down in his chair.

"I'm fine, really," I insisted.

"Let me see," he said, touching my foot gingerly, "It looks like it's swelling up."

I scowled and crossed my arms.

"Sit here," he said, walking over to the supply cupboard.

He rummaged around a moment, then came back with a jar filled with water and some sort of slimy green plant.

"What is that?" I asked as he unscrewed the jar.

"Murtgrass."

"And what is Murtgrass?"

"What Murtlaps build their nests in."

"Yes because that totally answered my question," I said sarcastically.

"Well you know what a Murtlap is," he prompted.

"A rat-like creature with a sea anemone-type growth on it's back. Lives in coastal Britain. Eats crabs and lobsters and the feet of people who step on them."

"Build their nests in Murtgrass when they go to have babies," Snape said, "Now hold still."

He smiled and pulled out a plant not dissimilar to seaweed. He draped one leaf across my bare foot.

"Hey, that's cold!" I exclaimed.

"Don't be such a baby," he said, draping another leaf across my foot, "Be still."

"Hmph."

I sat still while he wrapped my foot with the leaves.

"You need to sit still while it dries, then you can take it off," he said.

"Yes Professor," I said innocently, 'accidentally' letting him look up my skirt.

He exhaled slowly and stood up.

"Sorry," I said sheepishly.

"We need to talk about what Albus said. About you going down into the lake. I don't think it's such a good idea," he said.

"I'll be fine, Severus. It's not like I'll drown," I said, rolling my eyes.

"There are other things in the lake besides water. Grindylows and giant squids and snakes…and shrakes."

"I'm not scared of snakes, Severus. And shrakes are only found in the Atantic Ocean, not lakes. …Besides, it was my understanding that I'd have an escort of Merpeople," I said, "And if I did go down, it wouldn't take the full hour of the effect of the Gillyweed to do what Dumbledore wants me to do. I could gather potions ingredients from the lake."

He didn't say anything for a minute, then sighed.

"If you really want to, I won't stop you," he said, "Just be careful."

"I will be," I promised, smiling.

Snape walked over to the cauldron to check on the Gilly Draught and proceeded with the next step of the potion. The Murtgrass around my ankle still hadn't dried. I watched impatiently as Snape continued working on the potion alone. I groaned and put my feet up on his desk. He got the book off the desk and brought it to me.

"Here," he said, "You can read out the next step of the potion for me."

**Snape's POV**

At midnight, I insisted Olivia go to bed.

"You have classes tomorrow. The potion is almost done anyway, then it has to stew for 24 hours."

"What time should I come tomorrow night? It has to be watched carefully the last few hours," she said.

"I think ten o'clock should suffice. I'll let Filch know Dumbledore gave you permission to help me with the potion, in case he catches you out after hours."

"Cool," she said smiling. She stood and walked towards the door.

"Don't forget your shoes," I said, nodding to the corner where she had tossed them.

"Right, thanks," she said, walking over and getting them. I had never noticed how cute her feet were until I had been binding her ankle. Her feet were small and pale and her toenails were painted emerald green. I watched her feet as she walked out the door, her shoes in her hands.

"Goodnight Severus," she said, smiling at me.

"Goodnight," I said quietly.

She left, shutting the door behind her. I finished the rest of the potion alone, remembering that Albus wanted to talk to me. I hoped desperately he didn't know what we had been doing before he knocked. I chastised myself for being so weak and for pushing the limits of my own boundaries. I was an idiot. Would Albus really fire me? He couldn't'. With the Dark Mark growing clearer, he wanted me close. But what if he did? What if the Mark burned and I didn't have Albus behind me? I would take Olivia and flee. No, it would too dangerous for her. I would flee alone… but I couldn't leave Olivia. What if I just went back to Him…as a Death Eater.

I pushed the frightening thoughts away and finished stirring the potion. Then I left the dungeons and headed up to the headmaster's office, trying not to let anxiety take hold of me.

As it turned out, Albus only wanted to talk about Karkaroff and the Mark.

"I feel certain he will flee if the time comes," I told him, "He's frightened. He betrayed many and fears the wrath of the Dark Lord."

"Good, good. That is one less Death Eater we have to worry about. Have you heard from Lucius?"

"Not in regards to the Mark, no…but he would hardly put that in a letter," I said, "Still…we must have someone with him if He is getting stronger."

"Well I am certain Pettigrew has found him but now…but I suspect he is not the only one."

"You suspect someone? And you will not tell me who?"

"Not at this time, no," he replied.

I scowled as he peered down into the basin of Pensieve on his desk.

"…Are you going to let Olivia help with the second task?" he asked without looking up.

"Yes," I said, scowling, "…Will you make sure the Merpeople stay with her the whole time. …God forbid something should happen…"

"Of course, Severus. I wouldn't intentionally put her in a dangerous situation."


	30. Year 6 Chapter 15

**Author's Note: **Sorry it's taken so long to get the next part up. Been getting ready for graduation and college in the fall and moving out at the end of this month. Hopefully my new apartment will have internet!

Enjoy!

~LilReporterGirl

Olivia came down to the Potions classroom the next night at ten o'clock. This time she wasn't dressed quite so temptingly- tight jeans, a V-neck black sweater and black boots- for which I was thankful.

We would have to watch the potion carefully. It would turn form green to blue sometime in a two-hour time period. It would happen spontaneously and if the potion wasn't taken off the fire within two minutes, it would scorch and be ruined.

We moved the potion closer to my desk carefully, then Olivia and I sat down at my desk to grade papers. We glanced at the potion every minute.

"It's bad enough these third years have no idea what they're talking about, their grammar sucks as well. They can't even spell!" she said halfway through her stack of papers.

"Give them a D," I told her, "That's what I do."

She chuckled and wrote a D at the top of the paper.

"Ooh, look - the potion," she said at the same time I noticed it. We both stood at the same time and quickly removed the cauldron from over the fire.

"It has to cool, then we can bottle it. Go ahead and get four vials from the cupboard," I instructed her.

"Four? Why four?"

"One for each of the champion's friends."

"Oh, duh," she said, smacking herself in the forehead.

She grabbed the vials and brought them to me. I filled them and set them on my desk.

"We're going down to the lake at 5:30 in the morning, so you may want to get some sleep," I told her, "We're hoping to get everything set up before the students wake up."

"Sounds good," she said, starting towards the door.

"…If you want, you could come to my office at 5...we could have coffee before we go down to the lake," I said as she turned the handle of the door. She looked back at me and smiled.

"I'd like that," she said, "Goodnight Severus."

"Goodnight Olivia."

I woke up a few hours later and got dressed. I called up one of the house elves from the kitchen to bring down some coffee. The elf had not yet returned when there was a quiet knock on the door.

"Come in, Olivia," I said. She opened the door and walked in, shutting it behind her. She looked tired, but cute. Her hair was up in a ponytail and she wore shorts and a t-shirt.

"You're going to be cold when we go outside," I said as she sat down with a yawn.

"Doesn't matter, does it? I'll be in the water before long and the gillyweed will keep me from becoming hypothermic," she said with a shrug.

At that moment the house elf returned with a pot of coffee, along with sugar and cream. I indicated that it should place the tray on my desk, then leave.

"Thank you," Olivia said politely to the cowering elf as it moved to leave. The elf bowed and smiled a toothy grin before glancing hastily at me and retreating.

"Would it kill you to be nice sometimes?" Olivia asked as I poured her a cup of coffee.

"I am nice sometimes," I replied. "To people I like."

"So just me then?" she said with a smile.

"And Albus…most of the time."

We sat there sipping coffee in silence for fifteen minutes. When we'd each finished a cup, Olivia stood.

"We have to go down to the classroom and get the gillyweed," she said. I nodded in agreement and stood. I got my cloak and fastened it around my shoulders before following her out of my office and down the hallway.

I watched as Olivia dug through the store cupboard for the gillyweed. She found it but turned around, frowning.

"Gave you used the gillyweed for anything since we made the Gilly Draught?" she asked.

"No. Why?"

"Some is missing."

I nudged her aside and looked for myself. She was right.

"Fuck," I growled, "Someone's been in my private stores."

She looked rather amused.

"It's okay, Severus. Think of it logically- it had to have been one of the champions-"

"-Potter," I muttered darkly.

"-And if you see him use it during the task, then you can confront him about it. Punish him or torture him or whatever you want to do to enact your revenge."

"I love the way you think," I said with a smirk. "Come, we've got to go down to the lake."

**Olivia's POV**

The morning air was chilly and I couldn't help but shiver as Snape and I walked down to the lake from the castle.

"Do you want my cloak?" he offered, looking concerned.

"No, I'm okay," I assured him, crossing my arms across my chest for warmth.

I quickened my pace. As we approached the lake I could see Dumbledore standing down by the water with four people. As we got closer I could see that two of the people were Potter's friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.

Like everyone else, I had heard the rumors that Granger was dating Krum so I supposed she must be his hostage. One of the others was a girl I had seen dancing with Cedric Diggory at the Yule Ball. I was pretty sure she was in Ravenclaw. The fourth person was a blonde haired young girl who had to be Fleur Delacour's sister.

"Good morning, Severus," Dumbledore said cheerfully and nodded to me. "Olivia. Did you bring the potion?"

"Of course," Snape said and handed him the four vials. Dumbledore gave a vial to each of the hostages, who uncorked them uncertainly.

"Bottoms up," Dumbledore said brightly. They drank the potion obediently and a minute later all four of them dropped to the ground. Dumbledore winced.

"I suppose I could have thought that through a little more- had them sit down… oh well, no matter. Are you ready, Olivia?"

I inclined my head and glanced at the lake where a crowd of Merpeople had surfaced. I unlaced my shoes and removed them and my socks. I took the Gillyweed from my pocket and began to chew it as I removed my shorts and t-shirt, revealing my green bikini. I grinned mischievously at Snape. He and Dumbledore were both staring at me, mouths slightly open. I handed Snape my clothes and swallowed the rubbery plant. I braced myself for the shock of the cold and dove into the lake.

The bite of the cold water on my skin knocked the breath out of me. I found I couldn't inhale at all. A moment later I felt a sharp pain on my neck on both sides, then I felt warm. I thought maybe I was dead, then I opened my eyes and saw several Merpeople floating around me, grinning. I looked up and could see Snape's face, distorted, peering down anxiously through the water.

"Olivia, are you okay?"

His voice was distorted. I raised my hand and was surprised to see my fingers were webbed. I kicked my feet and thanks to my elongated, webbed feet, I was propelled upwards with surprising speed…right into Snape who was leaning over the water looking down at me. I crashed into him and knocked him backwards into the ground. The impact of his body hitting mine was enough to knock the breath out of me. I lay on top of him gasping.

"Gills," Dumbledore reminded me. At that, Snape pushed me off of him and rolled me back into the lake.

"This is so cool," I said, letting my face go just above the surface of the water.

"Glad you're enjoying it," Snape muttered. He was soaked from where I had fallen on him.

"Come on Severus, help me get them into the water," Dumbledore said, nodding to the champions' friends.

He and Dumbledore secured ropes around the hostages' ankles and slid them in the water. I took hold of the ropes.

"Be careful," Snape said quietly to me. Dumbledore said something to the Merpeople in mermish and they made some response. I waved to Snape, then dove back down into the water, dragging the hostages behind me. One of the mermen motioned for me to follow him and I swam after him. The rest of the Merpeople swarmed around us, spears at the ready.

I looked around as I swam, observing all the different underwater plants. It took a quarter of an hour to reach the spot where the Merpeople wanted the hostages secured. We swam through what looked like the ruins of an old castle. I was curious but wasn't able to ask the Merpeople anything. I tried to talk but all that came out were bubbles. The Merpeople laughed at me and some motioned for me to be silent.

When we had secured the hostages, I knew I didn't have much time left to collect potions ingredients before my hour was up. I started back the way we had come, this time staying close to the bottom of the lake. Some of the Merpeople followed me, surrounding me in a way that was rather annoying. Still, I would rather have them with me and was given a true appreciation for them when they scared off a herd of grindylows who shook their fists threateningly at me and bared their teeth.

**Snape's POV**

Dumbledore and I waited in silence. It was unusual for him to go so long without saying anything to me and I suspected it had to do with the fact that Olivia had taken her clothes off in front of us. The thought made me smirk slightly. She was so confident in her youth…

As the end of the agonizing hour approached, I began to pace nervously.

"Don't worry, Severus. I'm sure she is fine," Albus said to me. "I told the Merpeople to stay with her at all times."

"Who's worried?" I muttered and forced myself to quit pacing. A moment later there was a large splash and Olivia surfaced. She no longer had gills or webbed fingers and feet. She dragged herself onto the shore, panting heavily and teeth chattering.

"Dude, it's f-freaking cold," she exclaimed.

She didn't have to tell me. I was all too aware of the goosebumps on her skin and her nipples protruding through the thin fabric of her bikini top. Albus, too, let his eyes linger longer than was necessary, but who could blame him?

I quickly removed my cloak and draped it across her shoulders. She pulled it tight around herself for warmth and, still shivering, grinned proudly at me. That's when I noticed she had a bag in her hand- a bag filled with plants.

"Murtgrass, g-gillyweed, l-liverwort, tadfoals, p-plimpys-" she said through chattering teeth.

"Well done, Olivia," I said and looked to Albus. "May I take my frozen apprentice inside now?"

"What?" he said, shaking his head as if to clear it. "Oh, yes, of course. Good job Miss Cain. And thank you."

"S-sure thing," she said with a smile.

I couldn't help but put an arm around her as we walked back up to the castle. I pulled her close to my side for warmth, not caring at that point, if Albus saw. All I cared about was keeping her warm.

When we reached my office Olivia locked the door while I stoked the fire that was in the fireplace.

"Get over here," I said to her, not meaning to sound bossy but doing so out of habit. Luckily, Olivia didn't take it that way. She walked over to the fireplace, shedding my cloak as she did so.

"You could have dressed a little more modestly," I said, looking her over.

"Don't be such a prude, Severus," she said, wringing out her long wet hair.

"I am most definitely _not _being a prude. Nor am I complaining," I replied. "I just don't need Dumbledore seeing everything that I see."

"He won't be seeing everything that you get to see," she responded and with that she removed her top and stepped out of her bathing suit bottoms.

I was too stunned- among other things- to speak. Olivia laughed at me and turned around in front of the fire to dry her extremities.

"Did you see Dumbledore's face before I dove into the water?" she asked with a chuckle. "Priceless."

I cleared my throat and managed to find my voice.

"It isn't funny, Olivia- you can't keep taking your clothes off in front of people."

"You know I always thought he was gay," she continued as if she hadn't heard me. "He always seemed to have a thing for Potter…but he could hardly keep his eyes off of me, could he?"

"Olivia," I said with an exasperated sigh. "…Even if someone is…and I'm not saying Albus is, but…you can be very distracting when you want to be."

"Aw, thanks Severus," she said with a grin.

"Whatever," I muttered. "Now will you _please _put your clothes back on?"

"Okay, okay…but only because you said please."

She pulled on her shorts and t-shirt that I had brought inside, neglecting the bikini that lay sodden on the stone floor by the fireplace. I could still see her nipples through the t-shirt.

"Well," I said. "I guess it's an improvement."

Olivia chuckled and sat down in front of the fireplace.

At that moment there was a knock at the door. Panicked, I vanished Olivia's bathing suit that was on the floor before quickly opening the door.

"Someone's been dripping water in my hallway," wheezed Filch. I let out an annoyed sigh.

"I will take care of it in a moment, Filch."

Then I shut the door in his face.

" 'Someone's been sleeping in my bed'," Olivia mimicked with a grin. "Goldilocks?"

"I know," I said, somewhat amused. "You read Muggle fairytales when you were a kid?"

"I read everything when I was a kid. I grew up in a bookstore," she replied. "…Hey, what did you do with my bikini? Where did it go?"

"Where do Vanished objects go?"

Olivia shrugged.

"Into non-being," I said, answering my own questions.

"Aw, Severus!" she protested. "That was my favorite two-piece."

**Olivia's POV**

Snape insisted that I drink a potion that warmed me throughout my body, then told me to go back to my dorm and get some rest before the second task. He promised he would wake me before it was time for the task. I was too tired to protest, so I said goodnight- even though it was technically morning- and drowsily made my way back to my dorm.

Alexandria and Brandi were sitting in the Common Room when I entered, along with a few seventh years who paid no attention to me.

"Where've you been?" Brandi asked.

"And why are you wet?" Alex observed.

"Not so loud," I shushed them. "…I've been in the lake…part of the task. I nearly froze to death and I'm exhausted. I want to go to sleep."

"Okay. Want us to wake you before the task?" Brandi asked.

"No, Severus said he would."

I went into the dormitory where a few other girls were just beginning to stir. I pulled the curtains around my bed and crawled underneath the covers. I was asleep almost immediately.

I awoke several hours later, feeling as if I had slept too long and knowing I had missed the second task. I dressed and made my way into the Common Room, highly annoyed. Brandi and Alexandria were sitting by the fireplace.

"That lying bastard forgot to wake me up!" I exclaimed. "I'm going to kill him."

With that I left the Common Room, leaving my friends looking rather bemused. I stormed down to Snape's office and knocked impatiently then, without waiting for an answer, opened the door.

"You lying tosser, you forgot to wake me up," I said crossly, sitting down in the chair in front of his desk.

"I didn't forget," he said calmly. "I had every intention of waking you but when I went to do so…you looked so peaceful and beautiful, I couldn't bring myself to wake you."

I huffed and crossed my arms, finding it very difficult to stay mad with him.

"Well you know what you have to do now, don't you?"

"What's that?" he asked warily.

"Tell me about the task. In detail."

He smiled at me.

"That I can do…and I'm not a tosser."

Snape gave me the details of what happened during the second task, which included the confirmation that Potter had stolen our Gillyweed.

"That prat," I snorted. "What are you going to do? Tell Dumbledore?"

"He wouldn't believe me- he never thinks bad of precious Potter… No, I will think of something much more horrible and humiliating."

Snape did not mention his revenge on Potter again until one day in March. Brandi had given me a copy of _Witch Weekly _magazine, which contained a detailed article written by Rita Skeeter about Potter's relationship with Hermione Granger…and Granger's relationship with Viktor Krum.

It was already past lunchtime when Brandi gave me the article, therefore I had to wait until after the last class of the day to show Snape. As I descended the stairs to the dungeon, magazine in hand, I passed Karkaroff. He was frowning and seemed distracted. He was muttering quietly to himself. I hurried to the classroom where Snape was cleaning up after his last class, looking thoroughly annoyed. He relaxed a little when he saw me and gave me a weary sort of smile.

"Karkaroff?" I asked and he nodded, "He is a creeper."

Snape let out a short laugh and shook his head.

"Have you seen this?" I asked, holding up the magazine.

"Yes," he said with a smirk, "I caught Potter and his friends reading it under the table during class."

"What did you do?" I asked eagerly.

"Took house points," he said casually, "…And read it aloud to the class."

"Ha! Excellent," I said with a grin.

"I rather thought so. Then Igor had to come and ruin my good mood…"

Snape and I talked about the article until it was time for dinner, discussing what we thought was true and what was just Skeeter's speculation. When the time came, Snape and I walked down to dinner together. There we parted ways and I went to sit with my fellow Slytherins, all of whom seemed to be discussing Skeeter's article.

Midway through dinner a small owl alighted in front of me. I frowned and took the note from it. The handwriting was unfamiliar to me.

_If you are still into sneaking out and feeding strays, meet me tonight at ten o'clock at the end of the road heading out of Hogsmeade, past Dervish and Banges. Bring food. Tell no one. Don't get caught._

_~Blackie_

I stared at the letter in quiet disbelief. How random! I immediately decided I would do it. After all, Sirius Black wasn't a bad guy. Dumbledore didn't think so and I believed Dumbledore. Snape refused to voice his opinion on Sirius' innocence and I knew better than to push the matter…and I wasn't going to tell him about going to meet Sirius, unless I felt I needed to.


	31. Year 6 Chapter 16

**Author's Note: **Hey everyone! Guess what- I just finished writing the end of this year! Woo-hoo! AND I came up with a brilliant idea for the ending for the whole story. I am so psyched. Anyways, thanks for all the reviews (there weren't as many as I had hoped though). Here's the next chapter. I'm sure you're all eager to know what happens between Olivia and Blackie…

~LilReporterGirl

After dinner I went down to the kitchens. I told the house elves I was feeding strays again and needed some extra food- not that they needed an excuse to pile as much food as they could into a basket and give it to me.

At nine o'clock that night I went into the dormitory then emerged, invisible, and left the Common Room. It wasn't difficult to slip out of the castle undetected but the walk to Hogsmeade was a long one and my arms grew tired from carrying the invisible basket.

When I reached the end of the road in Hogsmeade a dog stepped out of the shadows. Even though I was invisible he looked right at me and wagged his tail…though I suppose it could have been the smell of food.

"You're insane, you know that," I said and made myself visible. He just wagged his tail some more and walked away, glancing back over his shoulder like he expected me to follow him. I sighed and transformed into my Animagus form. I picked the basket up in my mouth and followed Sirius into the darkness.

I followed him to the foot of the mountain and up a little ways, over rocky terrain, until he disappeared into a small crack. I followed him inside, having some difficulty because of the basket. Once inside the small cave, Sirius transformed back into his human self, who I had only seen before on Wanted posters. His appearance was rather frightening- he was way too thin, his hair was matted and he was dirty.

"Food," he said hoarsely. I dropped the basket and stepped away from it. I transformed into human as well and was engulfed in darkness. After a brief moment of panic I realized that I could only see in the dark as a wolf.

I pulled out my wand and lit the tip. It cast a dim light and I could see Sirius devouring the food I had brought. There were several old newspapers in one corner of the cave and it was basically void of everything else but rocks. After thinking a minute, I transfigured one of the rocks into a jar and put flames in it. To make the light dimmer I turned the flames green with a color-changing charm.

"Very Slytherin-y," Sirius said through a mouthful of food.

"You're an idiot, you know that?" I said shortly, putting the jar on the ground and leaning against the wall of the cave, arms crossed. "If I were you, I'd be a million miles from here. I'd been in fucking South America. Anywhere but here. Why come back?"

Sirius had found the flask of water the elves had packed and was drinking it like he'd been lost in the desert for a week.

"I came back to be near my godson," he said after he finished drinking. Then he resumed eating with renewed fervor.

"Stop that," I said crossly, "You're going to make yourself sick."

"I've been living off of rats since I got here, Olivia."

"That's positively disgusting," I said. "And how do you know my name? I don't think I ever told you my name."

"Moony told me," he said with a shrug.

My heart skipped a beat.

"You talk to Lupin?" I asked.

"Occasionally. It's bit risky to send letters when you're in hiding."

"You sent a letter to me- another stupid move. I could easily have turned you in."

"You wouldn't," he said confidentially, "You are a good person. You liked me before."

"Yeah, when you were a lovable stray named Blackie! I don't even like people- well, except for Severus and my two friends…and Dumbledore, I suppose."

"Severus is a wanker, he doesn't count as a person," he said lightly.

"He's not a wanker," I defended immediately.

"Yeah, okay," he said in an annoyingly passive way, "…I could turn back into a dog if you like."

"No. Now it's just creepy. I don't even know why I came."

He grinned.

"You were curious," he said.

"I suppose so."

"Curiosity killed the cat."

"Yeah…but I'm a wolf. _And _a witch. I know curses that would expel your guts from your body and shove them down your throat."

"Charming," he said with a snort, then continued eating.

"Why me?" I said. "Why get me to come out here?"

"I was starving," he said simply, "And Moony said you were nice."

"Well, I feel used."

He laughed.

"Tell me what's been going on at Hogwarts," he said.

I shook my head in wonder then, because I didn't know what else to do, sat cross-legged on the floor of the cave and proceeded to tell him about the second task- or what I had been told about it anyway. He listened intently to me as I told him about Rita Skeeter's article in _Witch Weekly_.

"That's ridiculous," he snorted, "Harry doesn't even like Hermione like that."

"That's what Severus and I thought as well."

"Hm...Just how close are you and _Snivellus_?"

"Don't call him that," I snapped and when Sirius looked rather amused I blushed. "Well he _is _the Potions Master and I _am _his apprentice. We see a lot of each other."

Sirius grinned broadly. He didn't have to say it, I know what he was thinking.

"Not like _that _Sirius," I said, rolling my eyes at his immaturity, even if he was right. "We are cousins."

"Yeah, that doesn't mean much in the way of purebloods," he said dismissively. "Everybody marries their cousin in that lot."

"Severus isn't a pureblood and I'm probably not either- I never knew my father."

"Wait- Snape isn't pureblood?" Sirius said in disbelief.

"Er…not common knowledge, I take it?"

"No, but- he's a Slytherin! _You're _a Slytherin-"

"Well spotted," I said dryly.

"I thought the lot of them were pureblood."

"I doubt there is enough pureblood in this school to fill a goblet," I snorted.

"Wait- he's not _Muggleborn _is he? The hypocrite!"

"Of course he's not. The Sorting Hat doesn't put Muggleborns in Slytherin. He's half-blood, same as most everyone else."

"Not me. I'm 'pureblood'. Not that I'm proud of it," he said, disgusted.

"But you're a Gryffindor. How'd you get away with that one?"

"Well the Sorting Hat _did _want to put me in Slytherin… but I'd had my Mum's pureblood smut shoved down my throat for eleven years and I knew I wasn't like the rest of my family. Eventually they disowned me, kicked me out of the house."

"Where did you go?" I asked curiously.

"To James Potter's place. His parents loved me."

There came a sudden rustling noise outside the cave and I stood alert, wand in hand.

"Relax," Sirius said as a large animal slipped into the cave with us, "It's only Buckbeak."

The hippogriff shook his feathers and eyed me suspiciously. I immediately lowered my wand and bowed to him. After a moment of scrutiny he bowed in return and I moved forward to pet him.

"So you're Buckbeak. I heard a lot about you last year. Slashed Malfoy up right good, didn't you? Then escaped execution. You're quite clever," I said, stroking his feathers. He seemed to enjoy the praise.

"He's been a good companion," Sirius said. "I've been letting him go out at night. He always comes back."

I pet the hippogriff for a while, talking softly to him. Sirius finished off the food and Buckbeak began crunching any discarded bones or gristle. Sirius sighed contentedly and stretched out on the ground.

"Why do you hate Severus?" I asked after a while.

"Because he's a git," he said lightly. "He was a git when we were kids and he is a git now."

"But he is a good person. Dumbledore trusts him…just like he trusts you. You and Severus have a lot in common- you are both supposed to be bad guys, but you're not."

"Yeah…but I'm not a git. And Snape hates me. And he makes everyone hate him. I'm not like that- I'm a lovable person," he replied with an endearing smile.

"…He is scared to get close to people emotionally. He thinks it is easier to make everyone hate him…but not everyone hates him," I said softly. "He has a good heart."

"Whatever," he said, rolling his eyes. "You should probably go back to school now, before somebody notices you're missing."

"Sure," I scoffed. "You just wanted me for my food."

"Yeah, kinda," he said with a grin. "…I really do appreciate it though. And if there is anything I can ever do for you, just let me know."

**Snape's POV**

Saturday was another trip to Hogsmeade for the older students. Immediately after breakfast Olivia showed up in my office, which was not unexpected. She had resigned herself to helping me grade homework or brew potions, but when she arrived in my office I was fastening my traveling cloak.

"Hey! Where are you going?" she asked, surprised.

"We are going to Hogsmeade," I replied simply.

"Isn't that rather risky?"

"No. Well…we aren't going anywhere we're likely to run into anyone we know," I said. "Besides…everyone knows Dumbledore trusts me."

"What about Moody? He's mad as a hatter," she said. "He could be lurking anywhere."

"Moody won't be going to Hogsmeade today. He has a slew of my students in detention."

"You sound rather cheerful about that," she said with a grin.

"They're third years. They should know better than to goof off during a Defense class…especially a Defense class with Moody. I'm surprised he didn't turn them all into frogs. Now do you want to go or not?"

"Yeah," she said enthusiastically. "Let's go."

We left the castle then and went out into the cool morning air. It was cool but not uncomfortable.

"It's going to be a rather warm day," I commented as we walked along the path. There were no students or other teachers to be seen. Olivia just looked at me and grinned.

As we entered the village we passed a group of Durmstrang boys who stopped talking to watch Olivia as we walked away. They resumed talking Russian and laughed.

I didn't speak Russian but I could guess at what they were saying. I scowled over my shoulder at them and they only laughed harder.

"Ignore them, Severus. They're idiots. They just have twisted minds because their headmaster is a child-molester," she said loud enough to shut the Durmstrang boys and cause several passers-by to give her bizarre looks before hurrying on. I smirked at her and shook my head.

I led her down the road to the most obscure place I could think of- the Hogs Head Pub. It was dusty and dim inside the pub. There were five people there, including the bar tender who was wiping the counter down with a filthy rag. Everyone else was dirty and grubby, with their hoods up, save for one bloke with long matted hair who appeared to be blind. Certainly none of them would care that I was there with a student. Even still, I led Olivia to the darkest corner of the pub where we wouldn't be seen should someone like Hagrid come in for a drink.

"Good choice," Olivia said quietly to me. "No one from Hogwarts would come here."

I smiled slightly.

"Butterbeer?" I asked her. She nodded.

I went to the counter and asked the bartender for a bottle of butterbeer and a glass of mulled mead. The bartender handed me both then continued wiping the counter with the rag, which only served to smear the grime around the surface.

"I'm glad it's in a bottle," Olivia said in a low voice as I sat down. "I'm not sure I would drink out of one of those cups."

I shrugged indifferently and took a sip of my drink.

We sat there for a while, talking and drinking and eventually we just linked our minds to avoid having to worry about keeping our voices low…though this made it so much more difficult to hide how much we wanted each other and knowing that we both wanted it made it even worse.

_You know, _Olivia thought with a sly look, _You said not at Hogwarts…and technically…we're not at Hogwarts._

I hesitated, all my doubts running through my mind. Finally, my desire overrode my common sense.

_Where? _I thought.

_Shrieking Shack? _she suggested.

_Excellent…but we don't want to look too conspicuous. I'll go on ahead once we leave here. You go to Honeydukes for a few minutes or something, then follow._

She nodded. We finished off our drinks, then left the pub.

I walked up the main road of Hogsmeade, passing students and teachers, all of who avoided eye contact with me. Alone, I was invisible, as it should be. I started up the deserted road to the Shrieking Shack.

I stood just outside the Shrieking Shack, waiting for Olivia. I saw her coming up the path. She jumped the fence and made her way to me. Without speaking we slipped into the building. I did a quick spell to make sure there was no one else there. Then, alone at least, we fell into each other's arms. She kissed me passionately, frantically clawing at the front of my robes. I chuckled at her eagerness and, without further ado, pushed her back against the wall.

It was hot and fast, but it relieved us both of a tenseness that had been building up between us and as we walked back to the castle, we felt relaxed and worry-free…for the time being, anyway.

**Olivia's POV**

Monday morning at breakfast I saw Hermione Granger running out of the Great Hall, visibly upset. Unlike most of the other Slytherins, I didn't really care, choosing instead to think about my first class of the day, which would be Potions.

I was the first to line up outside the Potions classroom that morning. When Snape came to let us in he gave me a small smile. I made my way to my desk at the front of the classroom, listening intently as Snape gave instructions for the Hiccupping Solution we would be brewing.

Rather disappointed, as this seemed a mundane task, I began to gather my ingredients, as did my classmates. I had just sat down again when the door opened and Albus Dumbledore walked in.

"Back to work," Snape said loudly to the students who had stopped to watch the headmaster as he strolled to the front of the room. I knew better. I continued to look busy, hovering over my cauldron, but watching them and listening intently as they began to talk quietly. I could only catch snatches of their conversation.

"I will watch your class," Dumbledore said. Snape looked rather startled, but inclined his head. He looked past Dumbledore and met my gaze.

"May my apprentice come as well?" he asked.

"Yes," the headmaster replied with a smile at me. "It will be a good experience for her."

Snape stood to leave the classroom.

"You will continue to work on your potions- I will inspect them when I return and grade them accordingly," Snape said icily to the class. "Miss Cain- you will leave your things and come with me."

"Yes sir," I said obediently, trying not to sound too enthusiastic. I stood, winked at my friends, and followed Snape out of the room.

"What's up?" I asked once he had shut the door, no longer bothering to hide my enthusiasm.

"Hermione Granger apparently received hate mail this morning at breakfast, because of the article in _Witch Weekly_. One of the envelopes contained undiluted Bubotober Pus," he said.

"Ouch," I said with a wince.

"Madam Pomfrey has asked for my assistance. I brought you along for the experience and to spare you a class that is beneath your abilities," he said. "So…what would you use to treat the abrasions caused by undiluted bubotober pus?"

I thought for a moment.

"Hm…Essence of Murtlap?" I suggested.

"Excellent. That is exactly what I would have suggested," he said, sounding pleased.

I grinned, feeling quite pleased with myself, and we made our way to his office to retrieve the murtlap.

When we reached the hospital wing the curtains were completely drawn around one bed. There were several student peering curiously at the veiled bed from their own hospital beds. One sharp look from Snape and all of them averted their eyes or quickly lay down. The sound of quiet sobs could be heard from behind the curtains. Snape cleared his throat.

"Madame Pomfrey?" he said. She immediately poked her head out.

"Yes, Severus dear, come on. Olivia, too. Let's see if you two can sort her out," she said, holding the curtain open just enough for us to slip through.

Hermione Granger was sitting on the bed, her knees drawn up in front of her. On wither side of her were her hands which were covered in abrasions, swollen and blistering, obviously causing her a great deal of pain. She stopped crying, with some effort, when she saw Snape. She attempted to wipe her face on her sleeve and a steely, determined look came into her eye. I glanced curiously at Snape, who was sneering at her. I shot him a look that clearly said 'be nice' and he assumed a neutral expression.

"Madam Pomfrey, have you a large bowl?" I asked the nurse. "I believe this will help Miss Granger."

I had been carrying the large bottle containing Murtlap concoction since we had left Snape's office.

"Yes of course dear," she said and hurried off to get it.

"You must be Professor Snape's apprentice," Granger said, her voice stronger than I expected. "I've heard of you…seen you from a distance."

"Olivia Cain," I said, inclining my head slightly. "I've heard of you as well. You are friends with Harry Potter."

She nodded.

"Is that Essence of Murtlap?" she asked curiously, nodding to the bottle.

"…Yes, it is," Is aid, surprised. "You're quite clever for a fourth year."

"Miss Granger is the smartest, most talented witch in her year," Madam Pomfrey said as she returned with the bowl. Granger blushed and look away modestly. Snape scoffed quietly.

The nurse set the bowl on the bedside table and I poured the bottle into it. I added a bit of water and mixed it with my wand.

"There," I said, setting the bowl in front of her. "Soak your hands in that for at least- what would you say, Professor? A half hour?"

"What?" Snape said. "Oh…yes, a half hour."

"That means I'll have to miss Herbology," she said miserably.

"It won't kill you to miss one class," I said with a slight smile. "And your hands will need to be bandaged for a while anyway."

"…Thank you Olivia," she said quietly. "And thank you Professor Snape."

I shrugged rather uncomfortably. Snape said nothing, but turned on his heel and left the Hospital Wing. I hastened to follow.

"You know, I think she has a thing for you Severus," I said once we were alone in the hallway.

"Don't be ridiculous," he snorted, a little too quickly.

I raised an eyebrow at him.

"…She's intrigued by me, just because I'm the only teacher who doesn't fawn over her like she's teacher who doesn't fawn over her like she's some sort of protégé."

"Is she really that talented?" I inquired.

"She is a very capable witch…but not so much as you."

"Are you trying to distract me with flattery?"

"Is it working?"

"A little. I don't really care if the Granger girl has a thing for you…just so long as you don't have a thing for her."

"Do I _look _like I have a thing for her?" he said, scowling. "She's fourteen. And a Gryffindor. …I only have a thing for you. You can do so much more than Hermione Granger."

He said these last two things in a whisper and I knew he wasn't just talking about my capabilities as a witch. I smiled and continued walking with him back to the dungeons, even though my class was over. I had a study period next and I rather hoped Snape would invite me to help with his next class.

We were almost to the classroom when we saw Dumbledore coming up the hallway. Snape frowned.

"Did you leave my third years alone?" Snape asked. "They are a rambunctious lot, they'll have destroyed the classroom."

"No, of course not Severus. I wouldn't violate the sanctity of your classroom," the headmaster said with a twinkle in his blue eyes. "I gave them the class period off."

"You…_what_?" Snape asked.

"I'm not that great at potions and I have work to do, so I let them go. It does everyone good to take a break every now and then," he replied. "I gave them a reading assignment."

Snape scoffed and I chuckled. Dumbledore looked curiously at me.

"No offense, sir," I said, "But to a majority of kids 'read these pages' translates to 'no homework'."

He nodded his head thoughtfully.

"Oh well," he said cheerfully. "You can always quiz them later. How did it go with Miss Granger?"

"She'll be fine," Snape said dismissively. "Just as long as she doesn't open any more 'fan mail'. The next envelope could contain a hex or a curse."

Dumbledore nodded solemnly.

"I shall speak with her before I return to my office. Thank you Severus."

The headmaster continued on his way and we continued down to the classroom.

"I can't _believe _he dismissed my class," Snape said, annoyed.

"Relax, Severus. You can just swamp them with homework tomorrow."

"That is true…"

"And in the meantime, you get a free class period, and I've got a class period. We could…grade papers."

He chuckled quietly and smiled a little.

"Yeah," he said. "I suppose we could…if you _actually _mean grade papers."

"Of course," I said innocently.


	32. Year 6 Chapter 17

**Snape's POV**

Easter came and went and soon it was time to start preparing for the third task. Most of the teachers spent their free time down at the Quidditch pitch which, with the help of Hagrid and Professor Sprout had been turned into a maze of hedges that grew larger every day. I was surprised no student had discovered it yet, but with no Quidditch matches there was little reason to go down to the field.

The champions were due to meet Bagman down at the Quidditch pitch during the last week of May and I decided I would take Olivia down to the field before then. I didn't have a specific _reason _to tell her about the third task…it just seemed fitting, since she had known in advance and even helped with the first two. So at lunchtime I sent her a note, telling her to leave the castle after dinner and I would meet her out there.

After dinner- throughout which Albus had tried to engage me in conversation- I slipped out of the Great Hall. I had seen Olivia leave not five minutes before.

"Where are you going, Severus?" said a voice as I started to leave the Entrance Hall. I cursed inwardly and turned to see McGonagall at the top of the Grand Staircase. She had not been present at dinner.

"You were absent from dinner, Minerva," I said casually.

"The Weasley twins were serving a detention in my office," she said somewhat crossly.

"Ah. I'm going out for a walk," I said and, not waiting or caring for further explanation, I headed outside.

I scanned the grounds for any sign of Olivia- both with my eyes and with my mind- but came up with nothing. I frowned and started down the path, wondering if she was still inside. Perhaps she had forgotten. Perhaps she had gotten caught. Perhaps she didn't care for me anymore…

All of a sudden something leapt out of a bush and had I not swiftly deflected it with a sharp elbow jab, I would have been knocked to the ground.

"Ow," said a surprised Olivia, who was sprawled on the ground, robes and hair askew.

"Oh my god. Forgive me," I said, helping her to her feet. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," she said, massaging her ribs.

"You startled me," I said. "What were you _doing_? I could have cursed you!"

"Surprising you. Testing my Occlumency."

"Well…it certainly had the element of surprise," I said- my heart beat still hadn't returned to normal.

"I was just trying to be cute."

"You don't have to try," I told her with a small half smile.

She smiled.

"Where are we going anyway?" she asked me.

"It's a surprise."

We started walking towards the Quidditch pitch together. Olivia didn't ask any questions, content to wait and see. We moved through the growing darkness and as we came to the stadium, we went through a gap in the stands and out onto the field.

Olivia stood there, mouth agape, staring at the field and the rows and rows of hedges.

"It's…a maze," she said. "The third task?"

I nodded my head.

"They'll put it back to normal after this is all over, won't they?" she asked anxiously.

"Of course."

We stood there in silence, looking out over the maze.

"So the champions will just have to get through the maze?" she inquired. "It doesn't look all that difficult."

"The hedges will be 20 feet tall by time for the second task. And there will be a number of creatures and enchantments they must pass through," I told her. "It will be a challenge."

"Nothing Potions-related though, is there? Nothing we can help with?"

I shook my head.

"Pity," she said.

We stood there a moment longer then I told her we had best head back. I didn't want to still be out there when Potter and the other champions arrived.

"It's past curfew. Should I make myself invisible?" Olivia asked. I considered this.

"No," I said decisively. "I feel foolish talking to you when you are invisible."

"What if we run into somebody?" she inquired.

"Then I will tell them I caught you out after hours and am going to give you detention."

"Clever," she said with a grin.

As luck would have it, we didn't see anyone…until we were walking into the castle and met Albus on the steps. One look from him and I knew lying was pointless.

"I wish to speak with you in my office, Severus," he said quietly.

"Yes headmaster," I said and glanced guiltily at Olivia. "Return to your Common Room."

"Yes sir," she said, eyes cast down, not looking at either of us. She hurried into the dungeons.

I followed Albus up the stairs to his office, neither of us speaking until he was seated behind his desk and I before it, feeling like a schoolboy in trouble again.

"You showed her the maze, correct?" he asked.

"Yes," I said sullenly.

"Why?" he asked, x-raying me with his electric blue eyes. I looked away, staring hard at the floor. How could I explain it to him? I didn't have a real reason. I had just wanted to share something special with her, something no one else knew about- like when Lupin took her for a fly on the back of a hippogriff or when Charlie showed her the waterfall cave.

"I don't know," I said finally, realizing that Albus was still waiting for an answer.

"Could it be that you have come to care for the girl?" he asked. I said nothing, knowing that lying to him was futile.

He nodded thoughtfully.

"She's my cousin," I defended weakly, "And my ward. It's inevitable that there should be a certain amount of-…"

"Love?" he suggested.

I flinched.

"Compassion then," he said and I inclined my head.

He spent the next few minutes talking to me about propriety and being careful and "not wanting people to get the wrong idea." I accepted all of these things with a nod. He didn't sound angry but I still felt chewed out when I left… A fact I gladly took out on Potter, who was running away from the headmaster's office when I emerged.

"POTTER!" I said loudly. He skidded to a halt and looked back at me. I beckoned for him to return.

"What are you doing here, Potter?" I asked suspiciously. Had he been eavesdropping?

"I need to see Professor Dumbledore!" he exclaimed, running back up the corridor and skidding to a stop before me. "It's Mr. Crouch…he's just turned up…he's in the forest…he's asking-"

"What is this rubbish? What are you talking about?"

"Mr. Crouch!" Potter shouted, "From the Ministry! He's ill or something- he's in the forest, he wants to see Dumbledore! Just give me the password up to-"

"The headmaster is busy, Potter," I sneered.

"I've got to tell Dumbledore!"

"Didn't you hear me Potter?"

"Look," he said angrily, "Crouch isn't right- he's- he's out of his mind- he says he wants to warn-"

Suddenly the door behind me opened and there stood Albus, looking between the two of us.

"Is there are problem?" he asked pleasantly.

"Professor!" Potter said before I could speak, "Mr. Crouch is here- he's down in the forest, he wants to speak to you!"

"Lead the way!" said Dumbledore promptly, believing him immediately. He followed Potter down the staircase, leaving me feeling even more annoyed and wounded than I had felt before.

**Olivia's POV**

Instead of returning to the Common Room as Snape had told me to, I went to wait for him in his office. I felt a bit guilty that we had been caught by the headmaster- even though it _had _been Snape's idea.

It was past midnight when Snape finally returned and I had long since fallen asleep with my head on his desk. I started awake when he opened the door. He looked tired and frustrated and I knew it couldn't be just Dumbledore.

"What happened?" I asked, getting up and moving to my usual seat so he could sit down.

Snape proceeded to tell me that Barty Crouch had been found in the forest by Potter and Krum. He had been raving mad, talking about the return of the Dark Lord and asking for Dumbledore. Potter had gone to fetch the headmaster and upon their return found Krum stunned and Crouch gone. They'd spend the past few hours scouring the castle, grounds and village for any sign of the madman.

"I could have helped," I said.

"I thought you would be asleep. Besides, I've already been chewed out once for having you out after hours."

"Not my fault," I said hotly.

"I didn't say it was," he said somewhat irritably, then sighed. "I'm tired, Olivia. We can talk about this tomorrow."

"…Fine," I said, getting up to leave. "Goodnight Severus."

"Goodnight."

June seemed to fly by and while everyone throughout the castle was abuzz with excitement about the final task, I was more looking forward to the school year being over. I had never been more excited to leave Hogwarts, to return to Spinner's End, where Snape and I could finally be alone. No more sneaking around or hiding our relationship…we'd have the whole summer…

The morning of the third task I entered the Great Hall at breakfast time to find it full of the usual chattering students. As soon as I sat down, however, my friends exploded.

"Have you _seen _this, Liv?" Brandi asked me, thrusting a newspaper under my nose.

"It's that Skeeter woman, the one who wrote the article about Potter in Witch Weekly," Alex said.

I took the paper from Brandi and read the article quickly. I let out a snort of laughter.

"Rubbish," I said. "Who _is _this Skeeter woman? I think if Potter was inclined to the Dark Arts, he'd have been put in Slytherin. And he wouldn't be so…_Potter_."

"But he's a Parselmouth," Brandi said, mystified. "I never knew that."

"Well yeah…but he didn't set a snake on that other boy. That was just a rumor. Any idiot there could see he was chasing it _away_," Alexandria said. "We were there."

I nodded in agreement.

"Severus said that Dumbledore thinks that when the Dark Lord tried to kill Potter, some of his powers were transferred to him," I said, voice quiet. "Including Parseltongue."

"Ohh la la," Brandi said. "I wonder what other dark powers the boy is hiding? Maybe he can turn into a snake."

"Or kill with a single glance?" Alexandria suggested.

"Or destroy whole villages with a single spell?"

"Or become invisible without using a spell?"

I was silent as they continued to list impossible feats…or what I assumed were impossible. I realized then that I knew very little about what the Dark Lord was capable of. It's not like Snape was very open to discussing Him and would certainly not volunteer any information. I glanced up at the staff table where he sat beside Dumbledore, deep in conversation, most likely discussing the Daily Prophet.

Throughout the day, students could hardly concentrate on their exams, excited as they were about the final task. I had several ask me for a concentration potion, which I got form Snape and lunchtime and gave to my fellow Slytherins…for a fee, of course.

I had no problem with my exams and when I headed down to dinner that evening my pockets were filled with coins. I would offer to split it with Snape later, since it had been his potions I'd been selling.

When everyone was almost done eating and the excited chatter had again risen to a maximum, Dumbledore stood and asked the champions to follow Ludo Bagman out of the castle. Five minutes later he stood again and asked all the students to make our way down to the Quidditch field. I walked with Brandi and Alexandria at first, listening to their speculations as to what the third task would be. Then I saw Snape and he saw me and beckoned me over. I said goodbye to my friends and hurried to his side.

"Are you okay?" I asked as we walked, noticing that he appeared anxious.

"I just…have a feeling that something is going to happen," he said. "I want you near me."

"Okay," I said, sensing that it wasn't the time to ask questions.

We were at the end of the crowd of students. Just as we reached the steps leading into the stands, Dumbledore approached us. He, too, had the same anxious look as Snape.

"I want you to sit with me, Severus," the headmaster said and added softly," In case something goes wrong."

Snape inclined his head then glanced quickly t me.

"I want Olivia with me," he said firmly.

Dumbledore didn't seem surprised.

"Yes, I think that's best," he said.

Somewhat perturbed, I followed the two nervous wizards into the stands. Dumbledore said in the first row of the stands and Snape sat to his right. I sat beside Snape, at the end of the row nearest to the stairs.

Once the stands were full and the champions positioned at the entrance of the maze, Ludo Bagman began to speak to the crowd. He didn't waste any time; he told how the points currently stood- with Potter and Diggory tied for first, Krum in second and Fleur in third- then sent the champions off into the maze. I had noticed McGonagall, Moody, Flitwick and Hagrid, each with bright red stars pinned to them, had gone off around the outside of the maze before Bagman began talking. Once he as finished, I asked Snape about the four teachers, but it was Dumbledore who answered me.

"They are positioning themselves around the maze. If a champion is injured or unable to continue, he or she will shoot up red sparks and one or more of the teachers will go assist," he explained.

It wasn't long before the first red sparks were sent up. There were murmurs of speculation from the crowd. I waited, silent. Nearly ten minutes passed before McGonagall and Flitwick emerged, levitating Krum's body between them. Karkaroff was seen running form where he sat with the other judges. He, Bagman and Madam Pomfrey crowded around Krum. After a moment, Madam Pomfrey took off with Krum. Bagman cleared his throat.

"Viktor Krum has been found unconscious," he announced. "And is therefore unable to continue, leaving only three champions to compete for the Triwizard Cup."

"Stating the obvious, isn't he?" I murmured to Snape. Dumbledore heard and chuckled quietly.

Bagman continued talking again once the crowd began to get restless. He talked about some of the challenges the champions would face in the maze- giant spiders, riddles, enchantments and Hagrid's Blast-Ended Skrewts, which had grown to ten-feet in length. When he ran out of things to talk about he began to give facts about each of the champions in order to hold the attention of the crowd.

It wasn't enough to hold my attention, however, and my mind wandered freely. Mostly I thought about all the prospects of the summer. I kept my mind guarded, of course. All of a sudden, Snape tensed beside me and uttered a soft cry. I looked over to see him grabbing his forearm and gritting his teeth in pain- The Mark.

Dumbledore looked over at me, his expression dark and serious.

"Olivia," he said quietly. "I want you to take him away from here until it passes. You must not let him Disapparate, no matter what. It will hurt him…but it will pass. Understand?"

"Yes sir," I said somewhat fearfully. "Does this mean…what I think it means?"

"I'm afraid so," he said gravely. "Now go, quickly."

Snape and I left the stands as quickly as we could without drawing attention to ourselves. I knew now why Dumbledore had chosen to sit us so close to the stairs. He must have suspected this would happen. Snape was still clutching his forearm and was obviously in excruciating pain. I cast around for somewhere to go. The forest was closest and I led Snape to a spot just inside the trees. There he fell to his knees with another cry. His breathing was labored and his eyes were watering.

"Is there nothing that will help?" I asked desperately. He shook his head.

"No," he said through gritted teeth. "It…will pass…"

I stood there, watching helplessly as my lover knelt, isolated in his pain.


	33. Year 6 Chapter 18

-1**Snape's POV**

The Mark burned with a pain so fierce and intense that I thought I might pass out. I would have welcomed even that relief from pain, had Olivia not been there. The longer I went without Disapparating the more it hurt and I fought to stay conscious. It was worse than it had ever been- perhaps because it had been thirteen years since it last burned.

Olivia sat beside me on the ground, looking desperate. She wanted so badly to help. I pried the fingers of my right hand from around my left forearm and clasped her hand, squeezing it tight. My left hand was balled into a first. With her free hand, Olivia carefully pulled back my sleeve to look at the Mark. She had seen it before, of course, but never as it was now, burning black and raised from my skin like something demonic.

A movement caught our attention and we both watched as Karkaroff ran from the stadium, clutching arm. He fled into the forest a few feet from us, completely oblivious to our presence. He was close enough for us to see the terrified look on his face and the wild, mad look in his eye. He kept running, straight into the heart of the forest. Eventually we could no longer hear his footsteps.

"Coward," I said under my breath, still gritting my teeth and clutching Olivia's hand. She let out a weak chuckle.

After a while the pain receded to just a dull throb and I relaxed. I let out a breath and leaned back against a tree. I was pale and shaking.

"Is it over?" Olivia asked anxiously. I nodded.

"I am sorry that you had to see…" I said. "…But I am glad that you are here."

I still held her hand limply. I laced my fingers with hers and lifted her hand to kiss it.

We sat there a while longer until I felt strong enough to return to Dumbledore. When we stood, Olivia released my hand and stood on tiptoe to fix my hair which was askew. I smiled weakly at her.

"We have to go back to the stadium and see what's happened," I said to her.

When we returned to the stadium, the crowd was in an uproar- and it didn't sound like the cheerful uproar of someone having just won the Triwizard Cup. I quickened my pace and saw Dumbledore was no longer seated here we had left him.

Minerva and several others were at work keeping the students in their seats. I quickly turned and tapped Olivia on her head, Disillusioning her so that she could follow me and know whatever was happening. I hurried over to Minerva.

"What's happened?" I asked her, glancing towards the maze where I noticed a crowd of people, Albus included, surrounding the end of the maze.

"Cedric Diggory…" she said quietly, her face pale. "…He's been killed."

I left her and made my way towards the maze.

"Stay here, Olivia," I said softly. I heard a 'humph' but was too preoccupied to focus on her. I hoped she would listen to me.

I pushed my way through the madness of the crowd to Albus' side. He was kneeling beside Potter, who was cut, bleeding and crying, clutching onto Diggory's body. Diggory's eyes were open, staring lifeless up at the sky. There was not a mark on his body, like so many other victims of the Dark Lord.

"Dumbledore, Diggory's parents…they're here in the crowd," Fudge murmured anxiously.

The headmaster told Potter to remain there as he went to head off Diggory's father, who had already pushed past the people trying to help the crowd in the stands.

Through the confusion I saw Moody leading Potter away, back towards the castle, despite the fact that Albus said the boy should stay. I didn't think much about it- there was too much going on around me. Somewhere I heard Amos Diggory let out a cry of immeasurable anguish. I felt sympathy for him, but I was on edge. I knew at any moment Albus could tell me to go and I would have to go. In my mind, I rehearsed what I would say to the Dark Lord. What memories I would lock away from the past 13 years. The Mark on my arm still stung unpleasantly. I wondered vaguely where Karkaroff was at. I didn't blame him for fleeing, coward though he was…still, it would be something for me to tell the Dark Lord. What Karkaroff was a coward _and _a traitor. He had betrayed many of his fellow Death Eaters to save his own skin. Some weren't so lucky as me to have Albus' word to keep me out of Azkaban. There were many who would gladly hunt him down and the Dark Lord would be glad for the information. He hated a traitor more than anything.

"Where's Harry?" I heard Albus ask sharply.

No one seemed to know. I made my way to his side, as did Minerva.

"I saw Moody taking him back to the castle," I said quietly. His expression darkened.

"That is not Alastor Moody. The boy's life may yet still be in danger," he said and hurried towards the castle. Minerva and I exchanged confused looks, then hurried after him.

Our footsteps echoed as the three of us ran into the castle, but I was almost certain I heard a fourth set of footsteps. It was Olivia, no doubt, and she was hiding her mind from me. Rather than being mad, I was pleased with her Occlumency skills and somewhat glad that she was there, as it would save me a retelling of whatever was going to happen.

Dumbledore burst into Moody's office, wand out, and Stupefied Moody, who'd had his wand raised menacingly over Potter. Albus strode into the room and flipped Moody onto his back with his foot. I looked around the room and was surprised to see my own face glaring back at me from a Foe Glass. Albus and Minerva's faces were there as well. I was curious that Olivia's face did not show up, even if she _was _Disillusioned.

"Come along, Potter," Minerva whispered, sounding as if she were about to cry, "Come along…hospital wing…"

"No," said Albus sharply.

"Dumbledore, he ought to- look at him- he's been through enough tonight-"

"He will stay, Minerva, because he needs to understand," he replied curtly, "Understanding is the first step to acceptance, and only with acceptance can there be recovery. He needs to know who has put him through the ordeal he has suffered tonight, and why."

"Moody," said Potter in a hollow, disbelieving voice, "How can it have been Moody?"

"This is not Alastor Moody," said Albus softly, "You have never known Alastor Moody. The real Moody would not have removed you from my sight after what happened tonight. The moment he took you, I knew- and I followed."

Albus bent over and took two things from Moody's robes- his hip flask from which he always drank, and a set of keys. He turned to Minerva and I.

"Severus, please fetch me the strongest Truth Potion you possess, and then go down to the kitchens and being up a house-elf named Winky. Minerva, kindly go down to Hagrid's house, where you will find a large black dog sitting in the pumpkin patch. Take the dog up to my office, tell him I will be with him shortly, then come back here," Albus instructed.

Minerva and I left the room and once she was gone, I paused.

"Olivia?" I said uncertainly. There was a moment of silence, then-

"Yes?" she said innocently. I hid a smile.

"Go and get the Veritaserum while I get the house elf. I'll meet you in the Entrance Hall."

"Okay," she said somewhat cheerfully. I heard her footsteps recede and I hurried to the kitchens. Several dozen house-elves were moving about and most of them stopped to look at me.

"Professor Dumbledore wishes to see an elf named-" my lip curled involuntarily, -"Winky."

_Why do elves always have such ridiculously stupid names? _I wondered to myself.

"Winky is there, sir," said an elf with a tea cozy on his head and two different colored socks. I looked to where the elf had pointed and saw an elf unconscious by the fireplace, surrounded by empty bottles of Butterbeer. A half full bottle hung limply in her hand. I walked over to where she stood and looked down at her. Disgusted, I toed her awake. She stared up at me through bloodshot eyes and did not move.

"Get up," I said. "The headmaster wants to see you."

The elf blinked but didn't move. Annoyed, I dragged her to her feet. The bottle of Butterbeer fell from her hand. She looked down at it, then stumbled after me as I left the kitchen.

**Olivia's POV**

When I came back into the Entrance Hall Snape was waiting for me, a ragged-looking house elf at his side. I said nothing, but quietly slipped him the vial of Veritaserum and followed him back to Moody's office.

Snape stopped dead in the doorway of the classroom, causing me to crash into him. Professor McGonagall, who had caught up with us, also stopped before she collided with me. Both of them were staring at the man on the floor who was no longer Mad-Eye Moody.

"Crouch!" said Snape, "Barty Crouch."

_Who? _I asked, directing my thoughts at Snape.

_He used to be a Death Eater. He's supposed to be dead, _he replied.

"Good heavens!" Exclaimed McGonagall. The house-elf peered around Snape's legs. She let out a piercing shriek.

"Master Barty, Master Barty, what is you doing here?" she cried. She threw herself onto the man's chest.

"You is killed him! You is killed him! You is killed Master's son!" She shrieked at Dumbledore.

"He is simply Stunned, Winky," said Dumbledore, "Step aside, please. Severus, you have the potion?"

Snape wordlessly handed Dumbledore the potion. Dumbledore crouched down beside the boy, forced his mouth open, and poured three drops inside it. Then he pointed his wand and said, "_Ennervate._"

Barty Crouch's eyelids opened. His face was slacked and his eyes unfocused.

"Can you hear me?" Dumbledore asked quietly.

"Yes," he muttered

"I would like for you to tell us," said Dumbledore softly, "how you escaped from Azkaban."

Crouch took a shuddering breath and began in an expressionless voice that wouldn't have been present if the Veritaserum wasn't forcing him to respond.

"My mother saved me. She knew she was dying. She persuaded my father to rescue me as a last favor to her. He loved her as he had never loved me. He agreed. They came to visit me. They gave me a draught of Polyjuice Potion containing one of my mother's hairs. She took a draught containing one of my hairs. We took on each other's appearance," he said.

"Say no more, Master Barty, say no more, you is getting your father into trouble!" cried the house-elf.

"The dementors are blind. They sensed one healthy, one dying person entering Azkaban. They sensed one healthy, one dying person leaving it. My father smuggled me out, disguised as my mother, in case any prisoners were watching through their doors.

"My mother died a short while afterward in Azkaban. She was careful to drink Polyjuice Potion until the end. She was buried under my name and bearing my appearance. Everyone believed her to be me," he continued in the same tone.

"And what did your father do with you, when he had got you home?" said Dumbledore quietly.

"Staged my mother's death. A quiet, private funeral. That grave is empty. The house-elf nursed me back to health. Then I had to be concealed. I had to be controlled. My father had to use a number of spells to subdue me. When I had recovered my strength I thought only of finding my master…of returning to his service."

"How did your father subdue you?" asked Dumbledore.

"The Imperius Curse. I was under my father's control. I was forced to wear an Invisibility Cloak day and night. I was always with the house-elf. She was my keeper and caretaker. She pitied me. She persuaded my father to give me occasional treats. Rewards for my good behavior."

"Master Barty, Master Barty," sobbed Winky, "You isn't ought to tell them, we is getting in trouble…"

"Did anybody discover that you were still alive?" Dumbledore inquired, "Did anyone know except your father and the house-elf?"

"Yes. A witch in my father's office. Bertha Jorkins. She came to the house with papers for my father's signature. He was not at home. Winky showed her inside and returned to the kitchen, to me. But Bertha Jorkins heard Winky talking to me. She came to investigate. She heard enough to guess who was hiding under the Invisibility Cloak. My father arrived home. She confronted him. He put a very powerful Memory Charm on her to make her forget what she'd found out. Too powerful. He said it damaged her memory permanently."

"why is she coming to nose in my master's private business?" wept the house-elf, "Why isn't she leaving us be?"

"Tell me about the Quidditch World Cup," said Dumbledore.

"Winky talked my father into it," continued Crouch, "She spent months persuading him. I had not left the house for years. I had loved Quidditch. Let him go, she said. He will be in his Invisibility Cloak. He can watch. Let him smell fresh air for once. She said my mother would have wanted it. She told my father that my mother had died to give me freedom. She had not saved me for a life of imprisonment. He agreed in the end.

"It was carefully planned. My father led me and Winky up to the Top Box early in the day. Winky was to say that she was saving a seat for my father. I was to sit there, invisible. When everyone had left the box we would emerge. Winky would appear to be alone. No one would ever know.

"But Winky didn't know that I was growing stronger. I was starting to fight my father's Imperius Curse. There were times when I was almost myself again. There were brief periods when I seemed almost myself again. There were times when it seemed I was outside his control. It happened, there, in the Top Box. It was like waking from a deep sleep. I found myself out in public, in the middle of the match, and I saw, in front of me, a wand sticking out of a boy's pocket. I had not been allowed a wand since before Azkaban. I stole it. Winky didn't know. Winky is frightened of heights. She had her face hidden."

"Master Barty, you bad boy!" whispered the house elf.

"So you took the wand," said Dumbledore, "and what did you do with it?"

"We went back to the tent. Then we heard them. We heard the Death Eaters. The ones who had never been to Azkaban. The ones who had never suffered for my master. They had turned their backs on him. They were not enslaved, as I was. They were free to seek him, but they did not. They were merely making sport of Muggles. The sound of their voices awoke me. My mind was clearer than it had been in years. I was angry. I had the wand. I wanted to attack them for their disloyalty to my master. My father had left the tent: he had gone to free the Muggles. Winky was afraid to see me so angry. She used her own brand of magic to bind me to her. She pulled me from the tent, pulled me into the forest, away from the Death Eaters. I tried to hold her back. I wanted to return to the campsite. I wanted to show those Death Eaters what loyalty to the Dark Lord meant, and to punish them for their lack of it. I used the stolen wand to cast the Dark Mark into the sky.

"Ministry wizards arrived. They shot Stunning Spells everywhere. One of the spells came through the trees where Winky and I stood. The bond connecting us was broken. We were both Stunned.

"When Winky was discovered, my father knew I must be nearby. He searched the bushes where she had been found and felt me lying there. He put me back under the Imperius Curse and took me home. He dismissed Winky. She had failed him. She had let me acquire a wand. She had almost let me escape.

"Now it was just father and I, alone in the house. And then…and then…My master came for me. He arrived at our house late one night in the arms of his servant, Wormtail. My master had found out that I was still alive. He had captured Bertha Jorkins in Albania. He had tortured her. She told him a great deal. She told him about the Triwizard Tournament. She told him the old Auror, Moody, was going to teach at Hogwarts. He tortured her until he broke through the Memory Charm my father had placed upon her. She told him I had escaped from Azkaban. She told him my father kept me imprisoned to prevent me from seeking my master. And so my master knew that I was still his faithful servant- perhaps the most faithful of all. My master conceived a plan, based upon the information Bertha had given him. He needed me. He arrived at our house near midnight. My father answered the door. It was very quick. My father was placed under the Imperius Curse by my master. Now my father was the one imprisoned, controlled. My master forced him to go about his business as usual, to act as though nothing was wrong. And I was released. I awoke. I was myself again, alive as I hadn't been in years."

"And what did Lord Voldemort ask you to do?" said Dumbledore. "He asked me whether I was ready to risk everything for him. I was ready. It was my dream, my greatest ambition, to serve him, to prove myself to him. He told me he needed to place a faithful servant at Hogwarts," continued Crouch. I glanced at Snape.

"-Ensure he reached the Triwizard Cup," Crouch continued. "Turn the cup into a Portkey, which would take the first person to touch it to my master. But first-"

"You needed Alastor Moody," said Dumbledore, voice calm.

"Wormtail and I did it. We had prepared the Polyjuice Potion beforehand. We journeyed to his house. Moody put up a struggle. There was a commotion. We managed to subdue him just in time. Forced him into a compartment of his own magical trunk. Took some of his hair and added it to the potion. I drank it; I became Moody's double. I took his leg and his eye. I was ready to face Arthur Weasley when he arrived to sort out the Muggles who had heard a disturbance. I made the dustbins move around the yard. I told Arthur Weasley I had heard intruders in my yard, who had set off the dustbins. Then I packed up Moody's clothes and Dark Detectors, put them in the trunk with Moody, and set off for Hogwarts. I kept him alive, under the Imperius Curse. I wanted to be able to question him. To find out about his past, learn his habits, so that I could fool even Dumbledore. I also needed his hair to make the Polyjuice Potion. The other ingredients were easy. I stole Boomslang skin from the dungeons. When the Potions master found me in his office, I said I was under orders to search it."

I glanced again at Snape, who looked furious.

"And what became of Wormtail after you attacked Moody?" asked Dumbledore.

"Wormtail returned to care for my master, in my father's house, and to keep watch over my father," replied Crouch.

"But your father escaped," said Dumbledore.

"Yes. After a while he began to fight the Imperius Curse just as I had done. There were periods when he knew what was happening. My master decided it was no longer safe for my father to leave the house. He forced him to send letters to the Ministry instead. He made him write and say he was ill. But Wormtail neglected his duty. He was not being watchful enough. My father escaped. My master guessed that he was heading for Hogwarts. My father was going to tell Dumbledore everything, to confess. He was going to admit that he had smuggled me from Azkaban. My master sent me word of my father's escape. He told me to stop him at all costs. So I waited and watched. I used the map I had taken from Harry Potter. The map that had almost ruined everything."

"Map? What map is this?" asked Dumbledore quickly.

"Potter's map of Hogwarts," said Crouch, "Potter saw me on it. Potter saw me stealing more ingredients for the Polyjuice Potion from Snape's office one night. He thought I was my father. We have the same first name. I took the map from Potter that night. I told him my father hated Dark wizards. Potter believed my father was after Snape.

"For a week I waited for my father to arrive at Hogwarts. At last, one evening, the map showed my father entering the grounds. I pulled on my Invisibility Cloak and went down to meet him. He was walking around the edge of the forest. Then Potter came, and Krum. I waited. I could not hurt Potter, my master needed him. Potter ran to get Dumbledore. I stunned Krum. I killed my father."

"_Nooo!_" wailed the house-elf, "Master Barty, Master Barty, what is you saying?"

"You killed your father," said Dumbledore in a soft voice, "What did you do with the body?"

"Carried it into the forest, covered it with the Invisibility Cloak. I had the map with me. I watched Potter run into the castle. He met Snape. Dumbledore joined them. I watched Potter bringing Dumbledore out of the castle. I walked back out of the forest, doubled around behind them, and went to meet them. I told Dumbledore Snape had told me where to come.

"Dumbledore told me to go and look for my father. I went back to my father's body. Watched the map. When everyone was gone, I Transfigured my father's body. He became a bone…I buried it, while wearing the Invisibility Cloak, in the freshly dug earth in front of Hagrid's cabin."

"And tonight?" Dumbledore asked.

"I offered to carry the Triwizard Cup into the maze before dinner. Turned it into a Portkey. My master's plan worked. He is returned to power and I will be honored by him beyond the dreams of wizards," said Crouch, his face lit with an insane smile.

Dumbledore used his wand to bind Barty Crouch with ropes before turning to Professor McGonagall.

"Minerva, could I ask you to stand guard here while I take Harry upstairs?" he asked her. She looked as nauseous as I felt. Her hand was quite steady as she drew her want and pointed it at Crouch.

"Severus please tell Madam Pomfrey to come down here; we need to get Alastor Moody into the hospital wing. Then go down into the grounds, find Cornelius Fudge, and bring him up to this office. He will undoubtedly want to question Crouch himself. Tell him I will be in the hospital wing in half an hour's time if he needs me," Dumbledore said. Snape nodded swiftly and we left the room.

**Snape's POV**

"Are you still here?" I asked Olivia as I started towards the Hospital Wing to fetch Madam Pomfrey.

"Yep," she said in a small voice. "…He's really back, isn't He?"

"We knew that when the Mark burned," I said, flexing the fingers of my still-sore left arm.

"Does this mean…you'll have to go back to Him?"

"If Dumbledore tells me to," I said quietly, eyes down.

She said nothing. A moment later I felt the fingers of her invisible hand lace take my hand and squeeze it gently. I couldn't speak, but returned the pressure wordlessly.

When we reached the hospital wing I let go of Olivia's hand before opening the door. Madam Pomfrey was in her office. There was no one else in the hospital wing except for the unconscious form of Viktor Krum, who she had taken from the maze earlier.

"Is it another of the champions?" Madam Pomfrey asked as I entered her office. One look at the nurse's face and I knew she hadn't heard about Diggory's death. I couldn't bring myself to tell her.

"Professor Dumbledore wants you to come to Professor Moody's office immediately," I said.

"Why? What's happened to Professor Moody?" she inquired.

"…Minerva is there. She'll fill you in," I said, then turned and quickly left the room.

"You could have told her," Olivia said to me as we headed down the stairs.

"I have to go back down onto the grounds to find Fudge. He will want to hear Crouch's story himself. …You can go back to your dormitory, if you want to."

"No, I'll stay with you," she said quickly.

"Very well…stay invisible. And stay silent."

Olivia remained silent as I hurried back out onto the grounds to the Quidditch field. We passed Sprout leading Mr. and Mrs. Diggory away from the field. Silent tears streamed down Sprout's face. The Diggorys' grief seemed beyond words.

When we reached the field, Cedric's body was no longer there. The teachers were trying to herd the students back into the castle, telling them a great tragedy had happened. I ignored the shouts from my own students, demanding to know what happened, and scanned the crowd for Cornelius Fudge. He was standing at the end of the maze, looking dazed.

"Where's Dumbledore?" he asked as I approached him. "People want answers and I don't have them."

Quietly I explained to him what happened. I told him what Crouch had said. His face paled as I spoke.

"I must go up there…but, this is a dangerous criminal. A deranged lunatic…I require protection," he said. "I will go and return with a dementor for my protection."

The Minister strode towards the gate of Hogwarts and I followed him quickly.

"Minister, I'm not sure Dumbledore will like-"

"Frankly, I don't give a damn what Dumbledore thinks. I am the Minister of Magic, not Albus Dumbledore," he said hotly. He Disapparated as soon as he reached the gate.

"Shit," I said aloud.

I didn't know whether to go and fetch Dumbledore or to remain by the gate and wait for Fudge to return. I didn't know how long it would take for him to get an actual dementor. I decided it probably wouldn't take him long so I waited by the gate, pacing.

The Minister had returned within ten minutes, a dementor at his side. The dementor sniffed the air curiously and started to drift towards me. I could feel the cold, hopeless feeling the dementor brought with it.

"Come," the Minister said authoritatively to the dementor. "You, lead us to the criminal."

"Yes, Minister," I said somewhat reluctantly.

I led Fudge and the dementor into the castle, back to Moody's office. Minerva was standing, wand in hand. She looked up as the minister entered the room. Immediately the dementor swooped into the room and descended on Barty Crouch.

"No!" Minerva cried and Crouch let out a scream. The scream died on his lips as the dementor sucked his soul out through his mouth. Crouch went limp and hit the ground.

"You idiot!" Minerva shouted at the minister and even I was surprised at her gall. "Now he won't be able to testify to what he did!"

"It seems to me we already know what he did," Fudge said uncomfortably. "He was responsible for the many deaths, including the one that happened here tonight, and he was a raving lunatic nonetheless."

"I can't _believe _you brought one of those- those _things _here!" Minerva continued, her cheeks tinged pink with anger. "Get it out of here, out of the castle! Dumbledore will be furious!"

The minister looked rather uncomfortable at being addressed like such by Minerva.

"Go, dementor. Return to Azkaban. Your services are no longer needed here," Fudge said.

"Make sure it leaves the castle," she said, following Fudge as he followed the dementor out of the castle, onto the grounds. When it was gone, Minerva continued to yell at the Minister.

"-just wait until the headmaster hears about this!"

"I will go and find him myself, then!" Fudge said loudly, finally letting his temper get the better of him. "Where is he, anyway? Leaving me to deal with all of this mess by myself."

"He was taking Potter to the hospital wing," Minerva said. "The boy's been through a lot-"

Fudge ignored her and strode off in the direction of the hospital wing.

They continued to shout back and forth the whole way to the hospital wing. I stayed as quiet as Olivia and followed them.

"His fate is regrettable, but all the same, Minerva-" Fudge said loudly.

"You should never have brought it inside the castle!" yelled McGonagall, "When Dumbledore finds out-"

They burst into the hospital wing and I followed. Moody's unconscious body lay on a bed in the corner. Potter was on another of the beds, his friends surrounding him.

"Where is Dumbledore?" Fudge demanded of a red-haired woman who I knew to be Molly Weasley.

"He's not here," she said angrily, "This is a Hospital wing, minister, don't you think you'd do better to-"

The door opened and in walked Albus, looking rather angry.

"What has happened?" he said sharply, "Why are you disturbing these people? Minerva, I'm surprised at you- I asked you to stand guard over Barty Crouch-"

"There is no need to stand guard over him anymore, Dumbledore!" she shrieked, "The Minister has seen to that."

"When we told Mr. Fudge that we had caught the Death Eater responsible for tonight's events he seemed to feel his personal safety was in question," I told the headmaster, "He insisted on summoning a dementor to accompany him to the castle. He brought it up to the office where Barty Crouch-"

"I told him you would not agree, Dumbledore!" McGonagall interrupted, "I told him you would never allow dementors to set foot inside the castle, but-"

"My dear woman!" roared Fudge who looked angrier than ever. "As Minister of Magic, it is my decision whether I wish to bring protection with me when interviewing a possibly dangerous-"

"The moment that- that thing entered the room-" Minerva shouted over him. "-it swooped down on Crouch and- and-"

"By all accounts he is no loss!" said Fudge, "It seems he has been responsible for several deaths!"

"But now he cannot give testimony, Cornelius," said Dumbledore, staring hard at Fudge, "He cannot give evidence about why he killed those people."

"Why he killed them? Well, that's no mystery, is it?" protested Fudge, "He was a raving lunatic! From what Minerva and Severus have told me, he seems to have thought he was doing it all on You-Know-Who's instructions."

"Lord Voldemort _was _giving him instructions, Cornelius," Dumbledore said, "Those people's deaths were mere by-products of a plan to restore Voldemort to full strength again. The plan succeeded. Voldemort has been restored to his body."

Fudge looked like someone had hit him in the face with a frying pan. Dazed, he stared back at Dumbledore unbelievingly.

"You-Know-Who…returned? Preposterous. Come now, Dumbledore…"

"As Minerva and Severus have doubtless told you we heard Barty Crouch confess. Under the influence of Veritaserum, he told us how he was smuggled out of Azkaban, and how Voldemort- learning of his continued existence form Bertha Jorkins- went to free him from his father and used him to capture Harry. The plan worked, I tell you. Crouch has helped Voldemort to return."

"See here, Dumbledore," said Fudge, a slight smirk on his face. "you- you can't seriously believe that. You-Know-Who… back? Come now, come now…certainly, Crouch may have _believed _himself to be acting upon You-Know-Who's orders-but to take the word of a lunatic like that, Dumbledore…"

"When Harry touched the Triwizard Cup tonight, he was transported straight to Voldemort," said Albus in a steady voice. "He witnessed Lord Voldemort's rebirth. I will explain it all to you if you if you will step up to my office."

The headmaster glanced at Potter, who I saw now was awake.

"I am afraid I cannot permit you to question Harry tonight," Albus said, shaking his head.

Fudge's odd smile still lingered. He glanced at Potter, then back to Dumbledore.

"You are- er- prepared to take Harry's word on this, are you, Dumbledore?" Fudge replied with a curious smile. There was a silence which was broken by the growling of a large black dog at the foot of Potter's bed.

"Certainly, I believe Harry," said Dumbledore, eyes blazing, "I heard Crouch's confession and I heard Harry's account of what happened after he touched the Triwizard Cup; the two stories make sense, they explain everything that has happened since Bertha Jorkins disappeared last summer."

"You are prepared to believe that Lord Voldemort has returned on the word of a lunatic murderer, and a boy who…well…"

"You've been reading Rita Skeeter, Mr. Fudge," said Potter quietly. Many people jumped slightly. They hadn't realized he was awake. Fudge reddened slightly, but an obstinate and defiant look came over his face.

"And if I have?" he asked, looking at Dumbledore, "If I have discovered that you've been keeping certain facts about the boy very quiet? A Parselmouth, eh? And having funny turns all over the place-"

"I assume you are referring to the pains Harry has been experiencing in his scar?" said Dumbledore coolly.

"You admit he's been having these pains, then?" said Fudge quickly, "Headaches? Nightmares? Possibly- hallucinations?"

"Listen to me, Cornelius," said Dumbledore taking a step towards Fudge, "Harry is as sane as you or I. That scar upon his forehead has not addled his brains. I believe it hurts him when Lord Voldemort is close by, or feeling particularly murderous."

"You'll forgive me, Dumbledore, but I've never heard of a curse scar acting as an alarm bell before…"

"Look I saw Voldemort come back!" Potter shouted, "I saw the Death Eaters! I can give you their names! Lucius Malfoy-"

I made an involuntary movement and Potter glanced at me, but I was careful to look only at Fudge, wondering how he would react.

"Malfoy was cleared!" said Fudge, clearly insulted, "A very old family- donations to excellent causes-"

"Macnair!" Potter continued.

"Also cleared! Now working for the Ministry!"

"Avery- Nott- Crabbe- Goyle-"

"You are merely repeating the names of those who were acquitted of being Death Eaters thirteen years ago! You could have found those names in old reports of the trails! For heaven's sake Dumbledore- the boy was full of some crackpot story at the end of last year too- his tales are getting taller, and you're still swallowing them- the boy can talk to snakes, Dumbledore, and you still think he's trustworthy?" Fudge declared.

"Voldemort has returned," said Dumbledore, "If you accept that fact straightaway, Fudge, and take the necessary measures, we may still be able to save the situation. The first and most essential step is to remove Azkaban form the control of the dementors-"

"Preposterous!" shouted Fudge, "Remove the dementors? I'd be kicked out of the office for even suggesting it! Half of us only feel safe in our beds at night because we know the dementors are standing guard at Azkaban!"

"The rest of us sleep less soundly in our beds, Cornelius, knowing that you have put Lord Voldemort's most dangerous supporters in the care of creatures who will join him the instant he asks them! They will not remain loyal to you, fudge! Voldemort can offer them much more scope for their powers and their pleasures than you can! With the dementors behind him, and his old supporters returned to him, you will be hard-pressed to stop him regaining the sort of power he had thirteen years ago!" Dumbledore retorted.

"He just can't be back, Dumbledore, he just can't be…" Fudge was pleading with Dumbledore. Fudge needed concrete proof and I realized I had it- right on my left arm. Not looking at Potter I strode forward to the minister and jerked down my sleeve. Fudge recoiled visibly.

"There," I said harshly, "There. The Dark Mark. It is not as clear as it was an hour or so ago, when it burned black, but you can still see it. Every Death Eater had the sign burned into him by the Dark Lord. It was a means of distinguishing one from another, and His means of summoning us to Him. When He touched the Mark of any Death Eater we were to Disapparate, and Apparate, instantly, at His side. The mark has been growing clearer all year. Karkaroff's too. Why do you think Karkaroff fled tonight? We both felt the Mark burn. We both knew He had returned. Karkaroff fears the Dark Lord's vengeance. He betrayed too many of his fellow Death Eaters to be sure of a welcome back into the fold."

Fudge took a few steps back from me, clearly not listening to a word I said. He stared at the Mark on my arm, utterly repelled, until I jerked my sleeve back down and walked back over to where I had been standing.

"I don't know what you and your staff are playing at, Dumbledore, but I have heard enough. I have no more to add. I will be in touch with you tomorrow, Dumbledore, to discuss the running of this school. I must return to the Ministry," Fudge said shortly.

The Minister left the room shortly and Dumbledore turned to face the group around Potter's bed.

"There is work to be done," he said, "Molly…am I right in thinking that I can count on you and Arthur?"

"Of course you can," replied Molly Weasley, "We know what Fudge is. It's Arthur's fondness for Muggles that has held him back at the Ministry all these years. Fudge thinks he lacks proper Wizarding pride."

"Then I need to send a message to Arthur. All those that we can persuade of the truth must be notified immediately, and he is well placed to contact those at the Ministry who are not as shortsighted as Cornelius," said Albus.

"I'll go to Dad," said one of the boys whom I recognized to be Bill Weasley, standing up. "I'll go now."

"Excellent. Tell him what has happened. Tell him I will be in direct contact with him shortly. He will need to be discreet, however. If Fudge thinks I am interfering at the Ministry-"

"Leave it to me," Bill said, leaving the room.

"Minerva," said Albus, turning to McGonagall, "I want to see Hagrid in my office as soon as possible. Also- if she will consent to come- Madame Maxime."

McGonagall left without another word.

"Poppy," said Albus to Madam Pomfrey, "would you be very kind to go down to Professor Moody's office, where I think you will find a house-elf called Winky in considerable distress? Do what you can for her, and take her back to the kitchens. I think Dobby will look after her for us."

"Very- very well," she said, looking startled, then she left as well.

Albus made sure the door was closed securely before turning back to the others.

"And now," he said, "it is time for two of our number to recognize each other for what they are. Sirius…if you could resume your usual form."

The huge black dog at the end of the bed looked up at Dumbledore and the next moment turned into Sirius Black. Molly Weasley shrieked and leapt up.

"Sirius Black!" she screamed, pointing at him.

"Mum, shut up!" Ron Weasley yelled, "It's okay."

I stared at one of my childhood enemies with a mixture of loathing, anger, and horror. Sirius mirrored the look.

"Him!" I snarled, "What is he doing here?"

"He is here at my invitation," said Dumbledore, "as are you, Severus. I trust you both. It is time for you to lay aside your old differences and trust each other."

I barely suppressed a snort. What Dumbledore was asking was damn near impossible…like asking the sun to stop shining during summer. I continued to glare at Black.

"I will settle, in the short term," continued Dumbledore, "for a lack of open hostility. You will shake hands. You are on the same side now. Time is short, and unless the few of us who know the truth stand united, there is no hope for any of us."

Very slowly and much against my will I took a step towards Black We shook hands as quickly as possible and let go.

**Olivia's POV**

I stood silently in the corner near Snape as Dumbledore gave instructions to Sirius. I could tell Snape was furious. It seemed, if possible, that he hated Black even more than he hated Lupin. I wondered, vaguely, if there headmaster was aware I was there.

"Severus," Dumbledore said, finally turning to Snape. "You know what I must ask you to do. If you are ready…if you are prepared…"

"I am," he said, his black eyes glittering oddly.

"Then good luck," Dumbledore said, watching somewhat apprehensively as Snape headed for the door. I hurried after him, slipping out just before the door closed. Snape walked a ways down the corridor then stopped and looked at me. I removed my Disillusionment Charm and met his gaze. His face was pale. That and his eyes betrayed what he felt- terror.

"Do you know what you are going to do?" I asked anxiously. "What you're going to say?"

"I have an idea," he said. We were silent a moment, just looking at each other. I couldn't stand it. I ran forward and hugged him. He put his arms around me, seeming to find comfort in my embrace.

"I wish you didn't have to go…" I murmured, my face buried in his chest.

"I know," he said softly. "But it is my duty. I gave my word…"

We stood there like that a few minutes, then we heard the sound of Dumbledore clearing his throat. Snape quickly released me and I stepped back. The headmaster's blue eyes were twinkling behind his spectacles and his lips formed the ghost of a smile. Snape adopted a scowl.

"Are you ready, Severus?" the headmaster asked him.

"Yes," he said shortly. "I'm leaving now."

"Good luck. I must go down and speak with Diggory's parents…"

With that the headmaster continued past us and down the stairs. Snape glanced at me and I shrugged.

We walked together down to the Entrance Hall. There we had to part ways.

"Go get some rest," he said softly to me. "It's been a long night."

"I don't think I will be able to rest until I know that you are safe," I said with a sigh.

"There is a Sleeping Potion in my office, if you want it."

I nodded my head.

"…Be careful," I said to him.

"I will be."

We stood there, gazing at each other. We didn't have to speak the words aloud. A look was enough to convey our feelings.

He turned suddenly and left the Entrance Gall. Part of me wanted to run after him into the night. The rest of me wanted to go wait in his office for his return. I chose the latter.

I entered the dungeons and made my way to his office. Once inside, I re-locked the door and replaced his usual enchantments. I knew it would take hours for him to return and, worried as I was, I was also weary. I found the sleeping potion and set it on the desk. I dragged one of the chairs behind his desk. I sat in his chair and I put my feet in the other one. It wasn't too terribly uncomfortable. I took a few sips of Sleeping Potion and felt it begin to work immediately. I yawned and leaned my head back in the chair and closed my eyes.

**Author's Note: **Come on you guys, give me some good reviews! I've been rather down lately and could use some positive feedback.

Will update soon!

~LittleReporterGirl


	34. Year 6 Chapter 19

**Snape's POV**

For what seemed like hours the Dark Lord racked my brain, testing my loyalty, searching for the slightest hint of some betrayal. I told Him that I had not returned at once so that I would not rouse Albus' suspicions. He accepted this and even commended me on a job well done.

We were at Malfoy Manor, but it was just the Dark Lord and myself in the dining room. After He withdrew from my mind, He seemed to be pondering something.

"Tell me about the girl," he said at last. "The one who lives with you."

My heart skipped a beat. This was worse than having Him wrack my brain. I betrayed no emotion.

"She is my cousin. Olivia Cain," I said. "Her mother died in a car accident with her Muggle boyfriend. I am the only family she has left, so I took her in."

He nodded thoughtfully.

"Has the tragedy of her Mother's death instilled in her a loathing for Muggles?" he asked.

"I'm not sure, my lord. We don't talk much about it. …She doesn't seem to like people in general. She has few friends."

"Hm…Ah, well, the girl is of no use to us at this time. We must focus on the present. Albus Dumbledore has been made aware of my return."

It was a statement, no a question, but I answered anyway, glad to be moving on from the subject of Olivia.

"Yes my lord. He tried to alert the minister, of course. Luckily, Fudge is stubborn. He refuses to believe. He thinks Dumbledore is a fool and Potter is delusional. He will say Diggory's death was a tragic accident."

"Who?" he asked disinterestedly.

"The boy who was with Potter, my lord."

"Ah, the spare. Yes, his death _was _an unfortunate accident. He was not meant to reach the end of the maze. There Barty failed me," he said. "But that is passed now. Undoubtedly Dumbledore will be gathering as many believers as he can, and rallying whoever is left of the old resistance. Dumbledore still trusts you, Severus. You will play the same role as last time."

"Of course my Lord."

"We got lucky this time. The minister will do his best to discredit Dumbledore. If our luck continues, he will get Dumbledore out of Hogwarts. Unfortunately, I don't see that happening anytime soon. On the other hand, the general public will remain blind to my return. Not like last time."

It was late when I finally returned to Hogwarts, well past midnight. I knew Albus would be waiting up for me to hear my report so I went there first. When I finished telling the night's events, he nodded thoughtfully.

"You have done well, Severus," he said. "Go get some rest- you deserve it. Classes are canceled tomorrow, so feel free to sleep in."

I nodded my head, too tired to think of an adequate response, and left his office.

I headed down to the dungeons, thinking I would kick off my shoes, drink a Sleeping Potion, crawl into my bed and sleep for a hundred years. When I entered my office, however, I found Olivia asleep at my desk. She was stretched between two chairs. Her red hair fell across her face, her features contorted into a worried frown. Just seeing her, my heart felt a little lighter- there was so much evil in the world and I was stuck right in the middle of it, but this…this made it all worth it.

I removed my cloak, hung it up, and walked over to her. I gently shook her awake. She opened her emerald eyes and gazed up at me for a moment. Her face relaxed.

"Severus…are you okay?" she asked softly.

I nodded silently, thinking.

"Come," I said finally, taking her by the hand. Using my wand I cast the spell that revealed the door to my private chambers. I opened the door and led Olivia inside.

It was a simple room, really. Just a bed, a bookcase which held books and a few rare potions I wouldn't dare lave within a student' grasp, my trunk, a wardrobe and a fireplace where a small fire was already lit. Olivia stood on the threshold of the room, leaning sleepily against the doorframe.

"What about the rules?" she asked.

"Sod the rules," I said, kicking off my shoes. "I'm tired…and I don't…I don't want to be alone."

It was difficult to admit. Olivia shut the door, which sealed itself magically, and she came over to the bed. I lay my wand on the bedside table, kicked off my shoes, and we crawled into bed. I immediately put my arms around her and she nestled against me. I sighed, thinking that I may actually be able to sleep restfully, without the use of a potion.

"What about Dumbledore?" she murmured.

"To Hell with Dumbledore," I replied. "It's not like he can fire me."

**Olivia's POV**

When I awoke late the next morning, I was confused as to where I was. Someone had their arms around me- Snape of course. I lifted my head slightly and looked around. We were in his room at Hogwarts, where I had never been before last night. I wasn't surprised to find it was void of pictures and personal items, save for his trunk and a few books on a shelf. I was more curious about the potions on the shelf.

Snape stirred and removed his arms from around me so he could stretch.

"Damn," he said, sitting up.

"Good morning to you, too," I said with lighthearted sarcasm.

"I had rather hoped it was all a bad dream," he sighed. I nodded sympathetically.

"Let's go into my office," Snape said, getting up. I nodded and got up as well, but instead of going towards the door to his office, I walked over to the shelf with the potions.

"What are these?" I asked curiously. "I was too sleepy to ask last night."

"Various rare potions," he replied. "…Some poisons and, of course, the antidotes."

"Ooh, like what?"

"Well," he said somewhat uncomfortably, coming to stand behind me. "That is Morticaine. Ever heard of it?"

"No."

"Not many have. It's very rare and more complex than the Wolfsbane. It takes six months to mature. Salazar Slytherin himself invented it."

"What does it do?"

"It causes death within seconds of ingestions. It's odorless and virtually undetectable."

"Yeah until the drinker drops dead after taking a sip of pumpkin juice at dinner," I pointed out. "If _I _were going to poison someone, I would use something undetectable, that works like an hour or more after ingestion. Something that mimics a natural death."

He looked at me oddly, then smiled slightly.

"Though I suppose it _would _give them more time to get an antidote, should they suspect foul play," I added as an afterthought.

"Let us hope you will never have the need to poison anyone," he said. "…Morticaine _does _have antidotes- the vials to the left- each of which is as difficult to brew as the potion itself. Merlin died trying to create an antidote."

"Why do you even have these?" I asked curiously.

"Not to use," he said quickly. "Or at least, not for me to use. Most I have created only to test my ability. Though I suppose, now that He has returned…In the past He has sometimes asked me to brew poisons…It's not as if I could refuse."

I nodded in agreement.

"What are some of the others?" I inquired.

"Moonseed Poison, Belladonna, Weedsoros-"

"I remember that," I said.

We had brewed the potion when I was a third-year. He had told me at the end of that year that he had used the potion in a riddle when Dumbledore asked each of the teachers to come up with something to protect the Philosopher's Stone. It had been ingenious, really. A riddle that only a wizard or witch with a great amount of logic could solve, and that was lethal to get wrong.

"What is this?" I asked curiously, picking up an emerald green potion that was glowing. It was really sort of pretty.

"…That's the Drink of Despair," he said, looking at the floor. "It's something the Dark Lord asked me to brew many years ago. It causes extreme fear and delirium in the drinker. If used a certain way…it could cause someone to relive their absolute worst memory or greatest fear. …I would not wish this poison on anyone, not even my worst enemy."

"What do you mean, if used a certain way?"

"If used to guard something. You see, the Drink of Despair cannot be scooped up with anything save for a very powerful hoodwinked object. It cannot be poured out. Once it is brewed, the first thing it is poured into after the cauldron becomes its permanent container. The potion in that vial cannot be poured out. Go ahead, try."

Curious, I uncorked the vial and attempted to pour the potion out. It sloshed like a liquid, but stopped and would not go past the opening of the bottle. I touched it tentatively with a finger. My finger went through it like a liquid, but emerged completely dry.

"It can only be consumed," Snape said.

"Weird," I said, quickly stoppering the potion and putting it back on the shelf. "But how could it be used to protect something?"

"It also causes extreme thirst. And the only thing that seems to quench the thirst it more of the potion. The more you drink, the more delirious you become, until the potion is gone. By then the wizard is so weak, they are unlikely to be capable of retrieving whatever may have been placed in the potion."

"Can't the object be Summoned out?"

"Not if someone has gone to great lengths to protect it."

"But that's insane. If the person who put the item there in the first place wanted to get it, they would have to drink the potion themselves, wouldn't they?"

"Or bring along someone and force them to do it," he said darkly. "…It was popular in medieval times, among rich pureblood wizards, to hide things like family treasures. If the wizard wanted it back, they'd just force a house-elf to drink it."

"That's horrible," I exclaimed. "…What did the Dark Lord use it for?"

"I didn't ask. I was told to brew it and never speak of it again. I never heard anything else about it either."

"…How do you know all that stuff about it?"

"There are books- very old books, centuries old some- that have ancient curses and poisons. They are very difficult to find and rare- not something you'd be able to find in Flourish and Blott's…or anywhere in Diagon Alley."

"What about Knockturn Alley?"

"Occasionally a book will show up in Borgin and Burke's. Something a thief stole from one of the pureblood families old libraries or something someone decided to pawn. Lucius Malfoy has a few in his basement that I've borrowed over the years."

I could tell he didn't like talking about poisons- or maybe he was just uncomfortable having me in his room. I left the shelf and went out into his office. Looking relieved, he followed me out and sealed the door.

"It's almost noon," I said, checking my watch. "What about classes?"

"Albus said they were cancelled," he said. "…By the way- this can't happen again."

"You initiated it," I pointed out. " 'To hell with Dumbledore' you said. 'Sod the rules'."

"Yes, I know. I'm not saying it was your fault. There were extenuating circumstances and…I just don't want you to think this will be a frequent thing."

"I understand," I said softly. "You went through a lot yesterday."

He said nothing but looked away again. I could tell he didn't want to talk about what happened. I decided not to question him about the Dark Lord…but I was curious about whether or not he had mentioned me.

"Could I brew one of those poisons?" I asked, changing the subject. "Just to see if I can do it?"

"No," he said immediately.

"What? Why not? You could help me."

"I just…don't think it's a very good idea. Can't you pick a complex potion that can't kill someone? I will assist you in brewing any _non-lethal _poison you choose."

"Seriously? Any potion I pick?"

He nodded.

"Well…you've limited my options a bit, haven't you?" I said with a smile. "Can I think on it?"

"Sure," he said indifferently. "…We should head up to lunch. I'd like to talk to Dumbledore."

My friends immediately began asking questions when I sat down to lunch. They knew that I had not come in last night and wanted to know what I knew about Diggory's death. Dumbledore had apparently given a speech that morning at breakfast, telling everyone not to question Potter.

They both had the same major question.

"Is the Dark Lord really back?" Alex asked quietly, a desperate, pleading look in her eyes. I nodded wordlessly. In hushed tones I recounted what I had seen and heard at the maze and in Moody's office. I told them what I remembered of Barty Crouch's confession and how Fudge brought the dementor later. I didn't tell them about the scene in the hospital wing, of course, or about Snape's being a spy.

They were both stunned and the three of us sat in silence a while, which I didn't mind. I picked at my food, not really feeling hungry. To keep my mind off the Dark Lord and Cedric Diggory, I thought about which advanced potion I would like to brew with Snape.

After lunch I slipped away to the library, found a few books on advanced potions, and sat down in a corner of the library to consider my options. I thought about Felix Felicis, the luck potion, but recalled things I had read about it before, about it causing recklessness. A bloke in Germany had jumped from a 12 foot building several years back because he felt like "nothing could possibly go wrong." I wouldn't want to risk anything like that.

I'd already had an idea of which potion I would like to try. Even after reading most of the afternoon, I decided on my first choice- Amortentia.

**Snape's POV**

I was in my office grading papers. The Dark Lord has risen yesterday and I was reading essays about the properties of Moonstones. I didn't want to think on what had happened, so I forced it from my mind and tried to concentrate on the essays.

Only that didn't work out so well. As much as I tried not to, my mind kept wondering, thinking about the Dark Lord. Mostly I thought about what he had said about Olivia, about her not being important "at this time." Did that mean he would try to recruit her later? And what would I do if he did? I couldn't bear for her to have to have the Mark burned into her arm, for her to have to do whatever He requested of her…just the thought made my stomach churn.

I had told Dumbledore last night. He had told me not to worry about things that had no happened yet, that there's plenty to worry about that's happening _now_. He told me he understand my worries. He didn't understand. He couldn't understand, not without me revealing just how much I cared about Olivia.

There was a soft knock at the door and I jumped slightly.

"Enter," I said, looking up as Olivia came in.

"What are you doing?" she asked quietly, sitting down.

"Grading papers…I don't know what else to do."

"That's why I came here. I didn't know what to do. I feel like I should be doing something…"

"I thought grading papers would help distract me…but it's not going so well."

"Well…You said I could pick a complicated potion to brew, remember?"

"Sure," I replied, though I hadn't actually thought about it. I had just said it to get her off the subject of deadly potions.

"Well, I decided."

"And what have you decided?" I inquired.

"I would like to attempt to brew Amortentia."

I smiled slightly, in spite of myself.

"You would pick that, wouldn't you? You know, if I wanted I could argue that it's not necessarily a _non-lethal _potion…"

"But you won't," she said with a grin.

"No," I said agreeably. "Alright then, let's get started."

We left my office and went down to the Potions classroom where Olivia began to gather ingredients. I set up a cauldron over a fire as she laid out the ingredients, which included ashwinder eggs, rose thorns, peppermint, powdered moonstone, Syrup of Hellebore and scurvy-grass.

We worked diligently on the potion, undisturbed, for the rest of the evening. We checked the recipe in the book every now and again and we scarcely spoke to each other. Around eleven o'clock that evening it was finished and we stood by the cauldron together.

"Well, we did it," I said, inhaling deeply. "It's perfect."

Olivia nodded and inhaled deeply as well.

"What do you smell?" she asked me.

"It's not the same as it's always been," I observed. "There's some flowery scent that's always been there…and a sort of wood-smoke, like a campfire smell…and raspberries."

I blushed a little at this and Olivia caught my eye. She smiled.

"I smell," she said thoughtfully. "sort of an earthy smell, like dirt…some sort of flower…puppy's breath and-"

She broke off, looking embarrassed.

"What?" I prompted.

"Your aftershave," she said, turning red. I chuckled lightly.

"Puppy's breath, really? That's one of the things that attracts you?" I asked playfully as we started to clean up.

"Puppy's are cute," she said with a shrug.

**Olivia's POV**

The rest of the week passed in a blur and the last day of school came quickly. When we entered the Great Hall for the leaving feast, the hall was hung with black drapes, out of respect for Cedric Diggory. The Hufflepuff table looked absolutely morose, many of them still crying silently. My heart went out to them and I felt a flood of sadness. I hadn't known Diggory well, but I'd seen him around and he was a bright kid, from what I could see from the tournament.

All four tables were less noisy than usual, even the Slytherin table and when Dumbledore stood up to address the school everyone fell silent.

"The end of another year," he said, looking around at the tables, "There is much I would like to say to you all tonight but I must first acknowledge the loss of a very fine person, who should be sitting here enjoying our feast with us. I would like you all, please, to stand, and raise your glasses, to Cedric Diggory."

Everyone stood up with their goblets raised, myself included, and we all said 'Cedric Diggory' in a loud, low voice. Then we sat back down.

"Cedric was a person who exemplified many of the qualities that distinguish Hufflepuff House," Dumbledore went on, "He was a good and loyal friend, a hard worker, he valued fair play. His death has affected you all, whether you knew him well or not. I think that you have the right, therefore, to know exactly how it came about. Cedric Diggory was murdered by Lord Voldemort."

A panicked whispered spread through the hall and people stared at Dumbledore in horror and disbelief.

"The Ministry of Magic does not wish me to tell you this," Dumbledore continued, "It is possible some of your parents will be horrified that I have done so- either because they will not believe that Lord Voldemort has returned, or because they think I should not tell you so, young as you are. It is my belief, however, that the truth is generally preferable to lies, and that any attempt to pretend that Cedric died as the result of an accident, or some

sort of blunder of his own, is an insult to his memory. There is somebody else who must be mentioned in connection with Cedric's death. I am talking, of course, about Harry Potter."

A few people glanced at Potter before looking back up at Dumbledore.

"Harry Potter managed to escape Lord Voldemort. He risked his own life to return Cedric's body to Hogwarts. He showed, in every respect, the sort of bravery that few wizards have ever shown in facing Lord Voldemort, and for this I honor him."

Dumbledore raised his goblet in Potter's direction. Most of the people in the hall raised their goblets to him. So did I, because I knew that Potter really had faced the Dark Lord and survived yet again. Draco stayed in his seat, so did many of the other Slytherins. With a sharp look I managed to get a few of the younger ones to raise their goblets. When everyone was seated Dumbledore spoke again.

"The Triwizard Tournament's aim was to further and promote magical understanding. In the light of what has happened- of Lord Voldemort's return- such ties are more important than ever before. Every guest in this Hall will be welcomed back here and time, should they wish to come. I say to you all, once again- in light of Lord Voldemort's return, we are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided. Lord Voldemort's gift for spreading discord and anmity is very great. We can fight it only by showing an equally strong bond of friendship and trust. Differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts are open.

"It is my belief- and never have I so hoped that I am mistaken- that we are all facing dark and difficult times. Some of you in this Hall have already suffered directly at the hands of Lord Voldemort. Many of your families have been torn asunder. A week ago, a student was taken from our midst. Remember Cedric. Remember, if the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy, remember what happened to a boy who was good, and kind, and brave, because he strayed across the path of Lord Voldemort. Remember Cedric Diggory."

The next day marked the last day of school. Trunks were packed and everyone was gathered in the Entrance Hall, preparing to depart. I was there, even though I would not be riding back on the train. I was there to say goodbye to my friends. Alexandria I would see again next year. Brandi I would not.

"You must both promise to write to me," she said tearfully, hugging me goodbye. "And you can come visit. Come stay in France with me. We can go shopping and hang out…"

I promised to write to them both, though I wasn't sure I would be able to. I wasn't sure what sort of Summer lay in store for me. McGonagall started to lead the students out of the hall. I said one last goodbye to my friends, nodded to McGonagall, and headed back down into the dungeons.

Snape wasn't in his office when I got there. Nor was he in the Potions classroom. Perplexed, I checked the Slytherin Common Room, the Great Hall and even looked around outside. There was no sign of him. Unsure of what to do, I made my way tentatively up to Dumbledore's office, hoping he would be there.

When I knocked on the door, there came a quiet "Come in" from inside. I opened the door, Dumbledore was standing at a window, looking out over the grounds. Snape was nowhere to be found.

"Hello Olivia," Dumbledore said, without turning around.

"Hello sir. Er…I was rather hoping Severus might be up here," I said, feeling awkward.

"He had to leave this morning, right after breakfast."

I knew he meant leave to go to the Dark Lord.

"Oh," I said. "So…do you think I should wait here or go home?"

"I don't think it makes much difference. You are welcome to stay here, if you like. You can get lunch from the kitchens."

I thought about it a moment.

"I think I'll head home. Maybe I can get some cleaning and all done before Severus returns," I said aloud. This last part was more of an after thought for myself, but Dumbledore turned to look at me.

"I am pleased that you have come to think of the house at Spinner's End as home," he said.

"I like that house. It's dark and creepy and…totally awesome," I said with a smile.

"I had always rather hoped Severus would sell it and move. It doesn't do him any good to stay in that house, with his memories."

I wasn't all that eager to have a chat with Dumbledore about Snape and his feelings, so I said nothing. Dumbledore turned back to look out the window and I took this as my cue to leave.

I went back to my dormitory and got my trunk, then headed out the front door of Hogwarts. I walked along the path to the gate. Once there, I Disapparated back to Spinner's End.

I put my stuff up in my room, then set about the task of cleaning up. I played my music as loud as I pleased, since we had no neighbors to be bothered by the noise. After sweeping, dusting, doing laundry and cleaning out the refrigerator, Snape still had not returned. It was late afternoon by then. I decided to walk to the store, since we were low on food. I left Snape a note on the counter, in case he retuned before I got back.

It had been a clear day all day and it was a little hot out now. I walked through the streets on my way into town. There weren't many people out and about and I enjoyed my solitude. Suddenly, the sound of a dog yelping and cruel laughter reached my ears. I followed the sound to an alley where three Muggle boys, each about the age of 12, stood in a circle around a dog. They were teasing the poor creature, pulling his ears and tail until he yelped. A much smaller boy with dark hair sat in a corner, looking on helplessly and weeping silently.

"Hey! You three! Leave that dog alone!" I shouted, hoping that they would run off at the sound of my voice. No such luck. The three boys turned and looked at me.

"What are you going to do about it?" the tallest of the three jeered at me. He was a gangly, dirty youth with a gap between his yellow teeth.

"You're not an adult," added another of the three.

"I could tell your parents," I pointed out, taking a few steps closer to them.

"They wouldn't give a rats ass," said the tallest.

With the boys' attention on me, the smaller boy saw and opportunity, which is what I'd hoped for. He ran and grabbed his pup. The tallest of the three boys turned and kicked him hard in the ribs as the kid scampered away.

"Leave him alone!" I shouted, now only a foot away from the boys.

"Oh yeah? What are you gonna do about it? You may be older, but there's three of us and one of you," said the tallest boy. "And we ain't afraid to scrap."

"I'm not scared of you," I snorted.

The three boys advanced towards me and with one quick movement I cold-cocked him right in the face with my fist. I felt his nose crunch under my fist and blood spurted everywhere. The bully put his hands over his broken nose and he and his two friends took off down the alley.

The small boy was sitting against the wall, massaging his injured ribs and checking his dog over for injuries. He flinched slightly as I approached. I sat down beside him against the wall, not caring that I was probably getting alley-slime all over my clothes. He was pale, thin and small, though I guessed his age to be about the same as the other boys. He wasn't as dirty as the others, but his black hair certainly hadn't been washed in a while.

"What's your name?" I asked him gently.

"Michael," he said quietly, not looking at me.

"Is your dog okay?" I asked him.

He nodded wordlessly. I reached out and petted the dog. He was not any particular breed and at some point had probably been white or blonde.

"What's his name?" I asked Michael.

"Rosco," he said, finally looking up at me. He had sad, dark eyes that reminded me instantly of Snape.

"…When he gets bigger, Rosco will protect me from bullies," Michael said after a minute.

"I'm sure he will. Dogs are very loyal companions," I said with a nod. "Would you like for me to walk you home?"

"No, I'm okay," he said quickly. "…Thanks."

"No problem," I said, getting up and brushing dirt off my pants. "I doubt those kids will be bothering you again for a while."

I left Michael and Rosco there and continued on to the store. On my way back, my arms laden with groceries, I stopped back by the alley but they were gone.

When I got home, Snape still wasn't back. I felt worried. I didn't know what it was he had gone to do or how long he would be gone. At what point should I go to Dumbledore and let him know Snape still wasn't back?

To take my mind off waiting for him, I started to make dinner. About midway through cooking, I heard the distinct pop of somebody Apparating. I hurried into the sitting room, where Snape stood. Elated, I greeted him with a kiss which he returned with enthusiasm.

"I'm so glad I can do that now," I said with a sigh. He nodded in agreement.

"You cleaned today," he said, looking around. "And made dinner. What else did you do?"

"I saved a kid and his dog," I said proudly. "What did you do?"

"Nothing to be proud of," he murmured.

"Nonsense," I said. "You were doing something for Dumbledore, right? The most important job of all."

He shrugged, still not looking at me. I kissed him again and put my arms around him.

"I will always be proud of you," I murmured, looking up into his sad black eyes.

Author's Note: Okay y'all that's the end of Book 6. Already started Book 7 and hopefully will have the first chapter posted soon. Read and reviews, please! J

~LilReporterGirl


	35. Year 7 Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **Alright guys, time to start Year 7. Thanks to everyone who has stuck with me this long. I know in the beginning I promised it wouldn't be as long as the other stories I've written, but it sort of took on a life of its own, you know?

Also, I realized I forgot to give Olivia Apparition lessons in Year 6. That's my bad, you guys. Can we just imagine that Olivia did have Apparition lessons? I mean, I could go back and write it, but that would just be detrimental to my progress forward towards the end of the story. And it wouldn't be as good as if I had remembered to deliberately give her the lessons.

Anyways, I'm sure you're all waiting to get started with Year 7 and see how Olivia and Snape are handling their summer alone**, **so without further ado, here it is!

~LilReporterGirl

**Olivia's POV**

If I thought the summer was going to consist of Snape and I spending every day together, I was wrong. His days were spent primarily doing work for the Dark Lord or Dumbledore. Some nights he didn't come home at all and when he did it was late or he was tired, or both. Still, I would wait up every night and when I had heard him come in and go into his room, I would climb out of bed, tip-toe to his room, and crawl into bed with him. I would put my arms around him and bury my face in his back or chest. He was always tense when he came home but slowly he would relax in my arms and, if I was lucky, roll over and kiss me.

Then most morning he would awake with a start, the Mark on his arm burning, and he would be gone before breakfast. When that didn't happen there would be an owl tapping at the window and he would leave right after breakfast. Not always immediately after breakfast- on rare occasions he would scoop me up and carry me back to bed. I really liked those days.

Still, I spent most of my time alone or with Mouse. She had grown into a fat cat while we were at Hogwarts and she had free reign of the dungeons. A fat cat who, while cute, mostly liked to sleep. I would read or listen to music, but there was still a definite emptiness to the house. The eternal feeling of something missing. When Snape was home, the feeling was gone and I forgot about it, but whenever he left it was back again, as if it had never really left in the first place.

One morning I was home alone, listening to Blue October and reading a book on Dragonology when there was a knock at the front door. I froze. We never had visitors. For some reason, my mind went straight to Death Eaters, though I don't know why they'd be after me. Snape had said they were aware of me- as his adopted cousin, of course- but that they were unconcerned with me. Though I supposed something could have happened- like they found out the truth about Snape and were coming to kill, rape and torture me.

The knock came again and I pushed the thought from my mind. I grabbed my wand and hurried downstairs. I peeked out the door…and was surprised to find myself looking into the electric blue eyes of Albus Dumbledore. I opened the door quickly.

"Hello Olivia," he said, smiling pleasantly.

"Hi. Uh…Severus isn't here."

"I know. It is you that I am here to see. May I come in?"

"I suppose," I said, mystified. I stepped aside to let him in, then closed the door behind him. I led him into the sitting room. With a flick of my wand I turned off the radio that I had brought down from my room.

"Sorry, I'm not really used to guests…would you like some tea?" I asked him.

"No thank you," he replied, still smiling.

"Well, sit down if you like," I said, gesturing towards the couch as I flopped down in Snape's chair.

Dumbledore sat. I noticed that his eyes didn't move curiously about the room.

"Have you been here before?" I inquired.

"A few times," he said, then paused a long moment. "…I wonder, Olivia, if you remember my offer to procure for you a Summer internship at St. Mungo's?"

"Of course…though with all that's gone on, I'd forgotten," I admitted.

"Understandably. I imagine it must be rather boring for you with Severus gone so much."

"A bit," I said, wondering how this was related. "But I keep myself entertained. …I wish I could do more to help Severus, though."

"Ah," he said, his blue eyes twinkling. "If you take the summer internship, you could help. Not Severus, exactly, but you could be a useful asset to the Order of the Phoenix."

"What is the Order of the Phoenix?" I asked, puzzled.

"The Order of the Phoenix is a defensive group that fought against Voldemort-" I flinched "-when he first rose to power. And they are fighting against him now."

"Oh…and Severus is a part of this group?"

"Of course. In fact, he's one of the most important members, because of what he does. The risk he takes…of course, you wouldn't be doing anything too dangerous. Mostly you would be on the lookout for anything suspicious. Meanwhile, you'd be getting medical experience."

I nodded my head slowly.

"Overall it is your decision to join the Order or not. You are of age."

"I'll do it," I said certainly. "I want to help…like Severus."

"I knew you would," he said, smiling again. "You start work Monday. You'll be meeting Healer Mycroft in the lobby at 8 a.m. Think you can handle that?"

"I-of course. Wow. Thank you, sir."

"Thank _you_, Olivia. I'll be in touch."

Then he was gone, just as quickly as he had come. When he was gone I headed upstairs to my room. I wrote letters to my friends- Mari, Brandi and Alexandria- telling them about my internship. I didn't tell them about the Order- that seemed sort of obvious. Even Dumbledore had been whispering when he told me about it. I knew when to keep my mouth shut.

**Snape's POV**

I was exhausted. I needed a break. I had been working my ass of ever since June and I was tired. Tired of the Dark Lord and tired of Dumbledore and tired of the Order…but it couldn't be helped.

I'd spent the morning with Lucius and Avery, looking for traitors on the Dark Lord's orders. We returned around 5, then I left and went to see Dumbledore, who seemed to be smiling more than he had in the past month.

"What're you so cheerful about?" I asked moodily, sitting down in the chair in front of his desk.

"What did you do today?" he asked, ignoring my question.

I told him.

"Did you find anyone?"

"No," I replied despondently.

"Good," he said and smiled again. "…Olivia's joined the Order."

"_What_?" I demanded, jumping to my feet.

"Sit down, Severus."

"Albus! …She's just a child!"

"She is of age," he reminded me. "It was her decision."

"The hell it was. You went to her with your smooth, fast-talking, you- you _coerced _her. I know you."

"I did no such thing. You can ask her yourself."

"I can't believe you! You would do this, put her in danger…without even _telling _me? I'm still her legal guardian!"

"I _am _telling you, Severus…and she isn't in any danger."

"What's she doing then?" I demanded.

"I've arranged an internship for her at St. Mungo's. She'll just be keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. Besides- Dilys will look after her," he said, motioning to a portrait of an elderly witch with long, silver ringlets of hair.

"Oh. Great," I snorted. "A picture will protect her."

"Hmph," said the portrait and the witch turned and disappeared.

"Severus," Dumbledore said disapprovingly. "…Olivia will be in no danger. It will be a learning experience for her…and it will keep her busy while you aren't home."

"She's always managed fine on her own," I said curtly.

"So you think, but it doesn't do anyone any good spending so much time alone."

"She has a cat," I muttered.

"She needs _human _companionship."

I scowled but said nothing. He had a point. He was smiling again.

"_What _are you smiling about?" I demanded.

"It warms my heart- your blatant concern for her. You care for her. It's nice to see you care for someone. …Is it because of her resemblance to Lily?"

"I'm leaving now," I said, heading for the door. "…And for your information, their eyes are different. And their personalities are different."

"How so? They are both very compassionate people."

"Not true. Lily cared for everybody, even werewolves," I said with a sneer. "…Olivia only cares about animals. And a select few people."

**Olivia's POV**

The sun had just set when I heard the front door open and close. Snape was home early! I hurried downstairs to greet him.

"Guess what?" I said as he hung up his cloak.

"I already know," he said stiffly. "I talked to Albus."

"Oh. What's wrong?"

"Nothing. …It will be a good learning experience for you."

"Something's wrong. I know you, Severus."

"I, well…I'm a bit concerned with you working for the Order. It's a dangerous business."

"Yeah? Well what you do is about a billion times more dangerous, but you don't see me complaining, do you? Sitting here worrying myself to death all day…"

"I'm not complaining," he said quietly. "I'm trying to think of it positively."

I studied him silently a moment, then smiled.

"Are you hungry?" I asked, starting to walk towards the kitchen. "I could summon supper from Hogwarts-"

He snagged the back of my t-shirt and pulled me back to him.

"I'm not hungry for food," he murmured, then kissed me. I smiled and allowed him to lead me towards the stairs.

"You really do need to eat dinner," I told him a while later. "Have you been eating at all lately? You're so thin…"

"Not really," he said, unconcerned. "…I'm used to it."

"Well get un-used to it. I'm not going to let you starve yourself. You'll feel better if you eat."

"Unlikely," he said, but obliged me by getting up. We dressed and I followed him downstairs to the kitchen. He summoned food from Hogwarts and we sat at the table to eat.

"So, when do you start work?" he asked, picking at his pork chop.

"Monday. Will you be able to take me? I haven't been to St. Mungo's since I was little, when I had dragon pox and Ellen took me."

"I should be able to, yes. What time?"

"A little before 8."

He nodded slowly and ate a spoonful of potatoes. He dropped his spoon suddenly and let out a little cry of surprise. He gripped his forearm and let out a little hiss. He looked up at me, his black eyes filled with pain.

"I have to go," he said.

"Eat first," I insisted.

"I cannot keep Him waiting."

"Eat quickly, then…please."

He let out a sigh and quickly wolfed down his potatoes and pork chop, took a few bites of beans, and washed it down with a swig of pumpkin juice.

"I'll be back," he said, standing up.

"When?"

"Before Monday," he said with a weak smile.

Then he Disapparated with a pop and I was left alone with my food and his unappreciated sarcasm.

It was past midnight and I was still waiting for Snape to get home. I was lying on the couch in the sitting room, reading a book about medical potions that I had read a thousand times. There was a sudden pop and a hooded figure wearing a mask appeared. I let out a little scream of fright, reminded of Lucius Malfoy and the other Death Eaters at the Quidditch World Cup. The hooded figure collapsed into a chair and I could tell by the pale hands coming from the sleeves of his robes that it was Snape.

I got up and approached him. I carefully removed the mask from his face and laid it aside. I tried not to notice that there were a few spots of blood on it. His face was deathly pale- even his lips were white- his hair was askew beneath his hood and he wouldn't look me in the eye.

"Are you okay?" I murmured. He shook his head no. I tried to kiss him but he turned his face away.

"Don't," he said, his voice hoarse.

"What did He have you do?"

"I don't want to talk about it…I can't."

"Okay," I said, nodding my head. "…Come on."

I pulled him to his feet and he followed me upstairs to his room. He kicked off his shoes and robes and crawled into bed. I crawled in beside him and snuggled up close to him. He felt cold.

"I'm a mess," he said, exhaling heavily.

"You are a mess," I agreed. "But that's alright. I love you anyway."

He rolled over and looked at me curiously. It was the first time I'd said the 'L' word out loud.

"You…love me?"

"Duh."

"Why?"

"…I don't know. What kind of question is that? We love who we love."

"…I love you too," he said. "I think."

"You think?"

"It is difficult. For me to love…and I can't understand why you would like me…why _anyone _would like me."

"You are a good person, Severus."

"I'm not," he replied dismissively.

"You _are_. I know there is good in you. Apart from that…well, you are quite mysterious and sexy."

He smiled faintly, then his smile faded and he sighed heavily. I could tell by his eyes that he was thinking about whatever the Dark Lord had made him do. Who he had seen tortured or killed…

"I scared you when I came home," he said to me.

"A bit," I admitted. "I thought you were Malfoy at first. Hell, I was scared when Dumbledore knocked on the front door. I thought it might be Death Eaters."

He let out a mirthless, hollow laugh.

"Death Eaters would not knock, Olivia," he said. "…It's not right. You shouldn't have to be scared all the time."

"But these are scary times and it's only going to get worse. I'd be stupid not to be scared. …At least now I'll be doing something. Contributing…sort of. I'm part of the Order anyway."

He said nothing but put his arms around me and held me close. Before long his breathing slowed and he relaxed a little and I knew he was asleep. Even asleep he was still tense and on edge. He needed a vacation. Unfortunately, doing what he did wasn't a job…it was life.

As I drifted off to sleep, I imagined the two of us vacationing at the beach. I couldn't picture Snape in shorts, however, so I tried imagining us camping…That one was a little more believable. I fell asleep smiling and drifted off into good dreams.

Author's Note: Well? Let me know what you think! Reviews pleeease! You know I'm waiting on them!

~LilReporterGirl


	36. Year 7 Chapter 2

-1**Author's Note: **Hey everyone! Hope you're enjoying your Summers! Sorry it took so long to update, but I haven't had much time to spend proofing my fanfic for posting.

Still no internet at my house, except for my phone. Which reminds me- I've been spending my nights up late reading a most wonderful fanfic by Wendy Waddles called In Fields of Purple Amaranth. It's a most entrancing tale and I am SOOO hooked on it. If you get the chance, head on over and check it out. It's definitely worth the read! 3

Oh and thanks to everybody who left me reviews! They are, as always, much appreciated!

~LittleReporterGirl

**Snape's POV**

Sunday evening after a meeting of Death Eaters I requested to speak with the Dark Lord alone. When the others had left, I explained to Him what I had to do Monday morning. I told Him about Olivia's internship. It seemed simpler to tell the truth. What harm could it do?

"So you will have a contact at St. Mungo's?" He said. "Very good. It could certainly come in handy."

_Shit_, I thought to myself.

"My thoughts exactly, my lord," I said aloud.

Later when I left, I thought I would have been better off making up a lie. I shouldn't draw His attention to Olivia. Why had I been so stupid? The last thing I wanted was for him to try and recruit her. Bad enough Albus had recruited her to join the Order. She couldn't handle both. _I _could barely handle both.

Monday morning I awoke early, but Olivia was already up. I could hear the shower running down the hall. I rolled over in my bed and inhaled deeply. My bed smelled like her. My pillows smelled like her. Everything smelled like her- my clothes, everything. I was surprised no one had noticed.

She came to the doorway a few minutes later wearing nothing but a towel she had draped across her shoulders.

_I'm so lucky, _I thought to myself, _What did I do to deserve her?_

"What are you doing, Severus?" she asked, leaning against the door frame.

"Waking up. …Why are you naked?"

"Are you complaining?" she asked with a smile.

"Not at all. Just wondering."

"I'm not sure what to wear."

"Dress in Muggle clothes. The hospital is hidden."

"Oh yeah…I knew that."

She disappeared and I heard her go into her own room to get dressed. I rolled out of bed, got dressed, and made my way downstairs. I summoned breakfast and by the time Olivia came down an owl had brought the paper.

I glanced up at her as she sat down, taking in her tight jeans, white t-shirt and boots. She saw me look her over and smiled.

"How will we get there? Apparition?" she asked, taking a bite of bacon.

"Yes, it seemed most convenient. We can leave as soon as you're done eating- but don't rush," I said as she immediately began shoveling food in her mouth. "You can have a look around before you have to meet that Healer."

Olivia finished eating and stood.

"Ready?" she asked me eagerly.

"Yes, alright," I said with a slight smile. I folded the paper and set it aside. I stood.

"Take my hand. We'll Disapparate together. You can follow me."

"It works like that?"

"Yes. Ready?"

"Yes."

I took her hand in mine and disappeared

When we Apparated, it was behind a dumpster down an alley in the very heart of London.

"Ew, it stinks," Olivia said as we stepped from behind a dumpster. I released her hand.

"It's inconspicuous," I said. "We still have a bit of a walk."

We stepped out of the side alley and into the bustling streets of London. Most of them were Muggles on their way to work or out for a day of shopping but as we got closer to St. Mungo's I recognized a few wizards making their way to the hospital.

"Did they just walk through a window?" Olivia asked quietly.

"Very well spotted, Olivia. Come."

We approached the deserted-looking building, a sign over which identified it as Durge and Dowse Lt. A note said closed for refurbishment. There was a mannequin wearing old clothes in the window.

I cleared my throat.

"We're here for a meeting with Healer Mycroft," I said quietly.

The mannequin nodded and beckoned us through. I took Olivia's hand and we stepped through the glass. It was like stepping through a waterfall, but we emerged completely dry, into a somewhat crowded waiting room, where various witches and wizards sat in rickety chairs, reading old magazines. Some had odd injuries, including a child with a dog's head, a woman with blue boils and a man holding a compress over his shoulder, which was leaking a foul green fluid.

A few Healers in lime green robes walked amongst the patients with clipboards. I glanced at Olivia, who was looking around, her emerald eyes shining.

"Come, I want you to meet someone," I said.

I led a curious Olivia past the receptionists desk to a portrait- the same portrait from Dumbledore's office.

"Olivia, this is Dilys Derwent. She was a very well-know Healer and was headmistress of Hogwarts for two decades."

"How do you do, Miss Cain? Professor Dumbledore told me to expect you today."

"Pleased to meet you," Olivia said somewhat shyly.

"Yes, yes. Olivia, if you need Dumbledore for anything, you came to Professor Derwent immediately."

"And if I'm not in my frame, just say my name and I'll be back in a tick," said Derwent.

"Right," she said obediently.

We said goodbye to Derwent and Olivia stopped to read the sign posted by the receptionists desk.

ARTIFACT ACCIDENTS…..Ground Floor

(Cauldron explosion, wand backfiring, broom crashes, etc.)

CREATURE-INDUCED INJURIES…..First Floor

(Bites, stings, burns, embedded spines, etc.)

MAGICAL BUGS…..Second Floor

(Contagious maladies, e.g. dragon pox, vanishing sickness, scrofungulus)

POTION AND PLANT POISONING…..Third Floor

(Rashes, regurgitation, uncontrollable giggling, etc.)

SPELL DAMAGE…..Fourth Floor

(Unliftable jinxes, hexes, and incorrectly applied charms, etc.)

VISITORS' TEAROOM AND HOSPITAL SHOP…..Fifth Floor

If you are unsure where to go, incapable of normal speech, or unable to remember why you are here, our Welcome Witch will be pleased to help.

"Ooh, potion and plant poisoning…creature-induced injuries," she said. "I wonder what floor Healer Mycroft is on?"

"Did someone say my name?"

Olivia and I turned to see an older wizard with long black hair, a slightly wrinkled face and bright blue eyes. He wore lime green robes with the bone and wand emblem.

"Are you Healer Mycroft?" Olivia asked bashfully.

"I am. You must be Miss Cain."

"Yes sir. This is my guardian, Severus Snape."

"Nice to meet you," I said, shaking hands with him somewhat reluctantly.

"Are you ready to get started Olivia?" he asked her.

"Of course. See you later, Severus."

"You can make it home okay, right?" I asked.

"I think so."

I nodded to her, and Disapparated.

**Olivia's POV**

I left work that night at eight o'clock and Disapparated back home from he lobby. I was exhausted but overall quite pleased. I'd spent the day following Mycroft around the hospital, listening to him talk. I'd seen several odd injuries that Mycroft told me weren't all that uncommon- people who had tried to transform themselves into animals, either by Transfiguration or by trying to become Animagi. After watching a team of Healers sort out a mutated wizard-bear, I considered how lucky I had been to be able to transform flawlessly.

Mycroft had been impressed to learn that I was an Animagus and delighted in having me transform for him. He told me I was very skilled to have learned it so young and said he was eager to see what skills I would possess in the medical field.

"Every intern must complete 50 hours of observation before they are allowed to start practicing," said Mycroft. "But Dumbledore tells me you've already invented potions?"

"Yes sir. Potions for animals. …I want to be a veterinarian for Wizarding animals."

"Interesting…"

"I love animals, you see, and I love Potions. I've been the Potions Master's apprentice since my second year in school."

"I know about your apprenticeship. That is why they chose me to be your Healer. We'll be working mostly on the third floor."

"Potion and plant poisoning," I'd recalled from the sign I'd seen at the front desk. "Cool."

It was dark when I Apparated into the sitting room, meaning Snape wasn't home. I hadn't really expected him to be, but I had hoped. I tossed the books Mycroft had given me to study on the couch and pointed my wand at the fireplace. A second later the room was flooded with light from a fire that crackled as if it had been lit for hours.

I went to the kitchen and made a sandwich, not having had anything but a quick cup of coffee at lunchtime. I'd been given an hour break but had been more interested in exploring the hospital. After I ate my sandwich, I got one of the books off the couch called _Magical Maladies _and settled down in Snape's chair to read for a bit.

A few hours later, after nodding off a few times, I closed the book and made my way to my room. I still had to be up at the same time in the morning. I couldn't wait up for him, as much as I wanted to.

Mouse was asleep on my pillow when I went upstairs and I scooched her over so I could lay down. I yawned in an exhausted, content sort of way. Only one thing kept me from falling into a deep, easy sleep- wondering if Snape was alright, where he was, what he was doing…

I dozed, drifting in and out of dreams. I couldn't even bring myself to be alert when, at about three in the morning, someone crawled into bed with me and kissed my neck.

"How was your first day of work?" Snape murmured.

I tried to say 'good' but it came out as an illegible mumble. He chuckled quietly and put his arms around me.

"Albus said we are going to have a meeting Friday. One that every member of the Order must attend," he said, but I barely heard him. I was asleep within minutes of him putting his arms around me.

**Snape's POV**

With Olivia working, we were like ships passing in the night. Mostly we just slept together…in the literal sense. We were a comfort to each other…I had never had someone to comfort me like she did. Someone to just be there.

Friday morning I awoke when she did. We ate breakfast together and discussed our plans.

"The meeting won't be until tonight, so as long as we're both back here by six o'clock," I said.

She nodded thoughtfully.

"I have to think of something to tell Mycroft…"

"Just tell him I need you home. He likes you, right?"

"Well enough."

When Olivia left at a quarter til 8, I found myself with time to spare. Probably I should have gone and talked to Dumbledore, but I needed some me time. I sat down in my chair with my coffee to read the morning prophet. When I finished the paper, I looked around and saw some of Olivia's books on the couch. I browsed through some of her medical textbooks, reading the notes she had written in the margins.

She was quite intelligent- though I knew that already- and she made good observations and speculations.

It wasn't long before the Mark on my arm burned and I Disapparated to the Dark Lord's side. Throughout the day, no matter what unthinkable task I was performing, I found myself thinking about Olivia. I imagined her at the hospital, mixing up healing potions, saving people's lives. Somehow I felt a little jealous that she was making potions with another guy, but I knew that was stupid of me.

It was a little after 5 when I Disapparated back to the house. I went upstairs to take a shower and by the time I went back downstairs Olivia was waiting for me. She was sitting on the couch, still wearing her light blue Healer Intern robes.

"Think I should change?"

"Yes. Muggle clothes. Nothing too conspicuous…or revealing."

"Why don't you help me decide?" she asked with a sly smile. Against my better judgment, I followed her upstairs. As soon as we reached her room, she turned and pinned me to the wall, kissing me. Her hands were gripping the front of my robes. My mind went blank until she finally stopped to take a breath.

"Olivia, you're going to make us late," I said, breathing heavy.

"I don't need that much time," she said, fumbling with my pants. "Do you?"

"No," I said, and kissed her hungrily, scooping her up and carrying her to the bed. "If we're late it isn't going to be my fault."

"The more you talk, the more time you waste," she taunted.

In less than ten minutes we went back downstairs. Olivia was dressed in jean shorts that weren't too short, a black t-shirt and tennis shoes.

"Not too 'revealing' is it?" she asked, flashing me a smile. I looked her over, appreciating the view of her long pale legs.

"I suppose not," I said at last. "…Be careful what you think about while we are at headquarters. There are plenty of wizards in there who are skilled at Legilimency."

"I know better," she scoffed.

"Right. Ready to go?"

"I guess. We're Apparating?"

I nodded and offered her my hand. She took it, smiling, and we Disapparated.

We appeared on the dimly lit street of Grimmauld Place. With a quick flick of my wand, the lamps extinguished themselves. I handed Olivia the folded piece of paper Albus had given to me earlier.

"Read quickly and memorize," I instructed.

She read it, frowning, then the paper disintegrated. She looked mildly surprised.

"Concentrate on it," I told her softly. No sooner had I said it, then the door emerged from between buildings 11 and 13.

The door of Number 12 Grimmauld place was black and defiantly older than the ones of either side of it. Olivia seemed transfixed with the silver knocker, which was in the shape of a twisted snake. I tapped the door with my wand and it opened.

"Inside, quickly," I said to Olivia.

When she was inside I stepped in after her. I stuck my head out of the door, looked up and down the street, then relit the lights and shut the door behind us.

**Olivia's POV**

The hallway we stepped into was dark and musty. It smelled old and enclosed…it reminded me of Snape's attic…our attic? It was still difficult for me to think of his house as my own.

Snape lit the tip of his wand as he shut the door. The dim blue light cast a gloomy light on the threadbare carpet, the old crooked portraits on the wall.

"Spooky," I whispered to Snape with a grin. He started to smile back at me but stopped when someone appeared at the end of the hall.

"Ah, Severus, you're early. That's alright though, some of the others are already in the kitchen. And this must be the new addition. How do you do, dear?" she said kindly. "I'm Molly Weasley."

I had seen her before, the night after the third task. She'd been in Potter's hospital room. She was a plump, round-faced woman who smiled a lot. She had a definite motherly air about her and I liked her immediately. It occurred to me that she must be Charlie's mother.

"Hi," I said as she shook my hand. "Olivia Cain. I know your son, Charlie. And Fred and George are in my year at school."

"But then, you're just a child yourself, aren't you?" said Mrs. Weasley. "I wouldn't let the boys join the Order."

"Dumbledore wanted her," Snape said stiffly.

Mrs. Weasley shook her head silently, then put a protective hand on my shoulder.

"Come alone, dear," she said and swept me off down the hall and Snape followed, scowling slightly.

The room we entered was a basement kitchen. It was like a cavern, with rough stone walls, and reminded me of the dungeon classroom. I glanced back at Snape over my shoulder, letting him know with my eyes that I liked this house a lot. He looked past me, into the kitchen, and I turned to look as well.

A long table was in the center of the room, several chairs crowded around it. Only a few chairs were occupied, however, one held a familiar face, which lit up when he saw me.

"Charlie!" I said, stepping forward to greet him with a hug. "How've you been?"

"Excellent," he said with his happy grin. "And you?"

"Pretty excellent. You're in the Order?"

"Yeah. This is my brother Bill-"

He indicated the person sitting to his left, who had been watching us, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. He had long hair and a dragon tooth earring. He was a typical "cool" guy.

"And my father, Arthur. And this is Nymphadora Tonks-"

"Tonks only, please," said a young witch with bright pink hair. "I hate my first name. …Hey, you look like a kid. Does this mean I'm not the youngest anymore?"

"My name's Olivia," I said somewhat subdued. "Olivia Cain."

"So it is," said a man coming through the door. "I thought I heard your voice."

"Sirius Black," I said, crossing my arms and looking at him as he sat down.

"How do you two know each other?" Mrs. Weasley asked curiously.

"Two years ago he tricked me into thinking he was a lovable stray. I fed him the entire time he was breaking into Hogwarts," I snorted.

"Had to eat," he said innocently. "Sorry."

But he didn't sound it.

"I liked you better as a dog," I said coolly.

Snape chuckled softly behind me. Sirius scowled.

Charlie introduced me to a few other people, then I took a seat beside him. Snape immediately sat beside me, somewhat possessively.

Charlie and I talked casually, first about dragons, then about his work for the Order.

"I don't have many days off, but I spend those few trying to make contacts up North," he told me. "…You're not doing anything too dangerous, I hope."

"No, not at all. I started an internship at St. Mungo's. All Dumbledore wants me to do it keep an eye on things. …though I haven't really seen anything I think would interest him."

"Sounds like a good job for you. You're getting work experience for the future, too."

The door to the kitchen opened and I felt Snape tense up beside me.

"Oi, Remus. Have you met the new addition?" Tonks asked, drawing his attention to me. Lupin stared at me a moment.

"What are you doing here, Olivia?" he asked me.

"Work for the Order," I said coolly.

"You're too young!" he protested. "You're just a kid."

He turned and looked at Snape.

"You let her?" Lupin asked.

"Dumbledore wanted her," Snape said irritably. "I had no choice."

There was an awkward silence and some puzzled looks around the table.

"So you two've met then," Tonks said, lightening the tension.

"He used to teach at Hogwarts," I said.

I tried not to look at him as he went to sit at the far end of the table, but I couldn't help it. I noticed he looked older than the last time I'd seen him. His hair had more grey in it, his face more wrinkles. He looked more ill and gaunt than ever and the friendly smile he gave me didn't quite meet his tired blue eyes.

I looked away from him. No one seemed to have noticed the look. I glanced at Snape, who was looking at my questioningly. I smiled briefly and put my hand on his leg under the table. He relaxed a little, but slapped my hand away as the door opened again and Dumbledore entered the room.

Several people came in with him and they filled the remaining empty chairs. Dumbledore sat at the head of the table.

For the next several hours I sat and listened to people giving reports. About a third of them were talking about guarding some sort of weapon. Some, like Charlie, were talking about recruiting people. Nobody bothered to explain anything to me.

Dumbledore never asked me to make any sort of report, for which I was thankful, but he didn't ask Severus to either. I was hoping I might get to hear some of what he'd been up to. He never told me anything he did…and I never asked him to because I knew it would upset him.

When Lupin gave his report I couldn't help but listen intently, with pity for him in my heart. He'd been underground for months, living with other werewolves…ones that didn't live amongst humans and didn't take Wolfsbane. I knew it had to be hard for him, living like that. No wonder he looked so rough.

After the meeting, Snape and I started to leave.

"Severus, can I have a word with you?" Dumbledore said. Snape sighed and looked at me.

"Wait here for me," he said.

"Why don't I show you around the house?" Charlie offered, but as soon as Snape was gone, Lupin appeared.

"Actually, I was hoping to talk to you Olivia," Lupin said. "If that's okay with you."

"…I guess," I said. He motioned for me to follow him and I did so somewhat reluctantly. I glanced back at Charlie over my shoulder and he gave me a half-hearted wave and a small smile.

Lupin led me down the hall into a dark, dingy, nasty little broom closet.

"Sorry. Didn't realize it was so gross in here," he said, looking around by the light of his wand tip. "Though I guess I should've expected it. This place has been abandoned for years and the house elf went a bit nutty. Stopped cleaning."

"Right. What do you want?"

"No need to sound bitter…are you mad at me?"

"No, why would I be? I'm just…tired."

This was a lie, of course.

"Why are we here?" I asked.

"So, you and Severus finally did it, huh?" he asked, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Did-what? No," I denied immediately.

"Oh come on, Olivia. I know you. And I've known Severus for years."

"You don't know me," I flared.

"I know you pretty well actually," he said, brushing a spider off my shoulder.

I flinched.

"I'm not going to tell, if that's what you are worried about. I'm happy that you have each other…Severus has never had anyone before."

"What about the girl, Lily? You told me they dated in third year."

"Oh yeah…you remember that?"

I said nothing for a long minute.

"I should go," I said suddenly, heading for the door. He looked as if he would stop me, but didn't.

When I stepped out of the broom closet with Lupin behind me, Snape was just starting up the hall. He saw us, his face contorted into a mask of hurt and fury, then went blank. He turned on his heel and strode away.

"Severus!" I called, running after him. He ignored me, and walked out the front door. I followed.

"It's not what you think-" I began.

"Shut up," he snapped. "We aren't discussing this here."

Then he grabbed my upper arm, hard, and forced me to Disapparate.

**Snape's POV**

When we Apparated in the living room I immediately wished I had left her behind. My heart hurt. I couldn't believe it…but I knew what I saw. I thought she loved me…I was a fool.

"I'm going upstairs," I said at once. "I don't want to talk about this."

"Severus, we were only talking!"

I ignored her, heading for the stairs. She grabbed my sleeve.

"Don't you trust me?" she asked, hurt.

"I don't trust anyone," I snapped without looking back at her. She whirled me around and pinned me against the bookcase with surprising force.

"Look at me. Look into my eyes. Look into my mind," she said vehemently. "Would I lie to you?"

One look into her emerald eyes told me the truth, but I used Legilimency to check it in her mind anyway.

"…I should have known better…" I said quietly, almost to the point of apologizing. She continued to look at me, her green eyes shining with unshed tears. She kept me pinned to the wall, but loosened her grip a little.

"I love you, Severus, and only you," she murmured. "…You're all I've ever wanted."

Then she kissed me and every ounce of doubt and hurt disappeared from my mind.

We didn't even make it to the bedroom- we made love right there against the bookcase, then dragged ourselves over to the couch, exhausted.

"…What's the weapon everyone kept talking about?" she asked curiously, her head against my chest.

"Only Albus knows. All he's shared is that it's something in the Department of Mysteries and if it falls into the Dark Lord's hands, it would be bad."

"Like end of the world bad?"

"I don't know…but when Albus says 'bad' everyone just sort of goes with it."

She smiled slightly.

"Why didn't you have to make a report?" she asked.

"My reports are classified. For Albus only."

"Oh. You're special," she said with a grin. "Why didn't I have to?"

"You're special, too."

"Really?"

"No. Albus knows I would take you directly to him if you came up with anything. Or you would go to Dilys. Not to mention, he knew you wouldn't want to be put on the spot like that."

"Oh. …I _am _special," she said stubbornly.

"Yes, you are very special," I agreed, chuckling quietly. "…What did you think of the Order?"

"They're nice enough, I guess. …I don't particularly like Sirius though, or Lupin. And Moody- even though he is the real Moody- still makes me nervous."

I smiled, glad to hear her say she didn't like Black or Lupin. Then I remembered what I had seen in her mind, what Lupin had said to her when they were in the closet, and I scowled.

"I can't believe he _knows_," I groaned. "About us. You should have denied it."

"He wouldn't have believed me. I could tell he was certain before he even said it. …He was rather smug about it, too. Bastard."

"He has no right to presume he knows me well. He knows nothing about me," I said.

Then I recalled the other part of their conversation that I had seen. The part she had seemed hesitant to show me, but without out any force on my part, had showed it anyway. The part where they had mentioned Lily. I hated that they talked about her. Hated that Lupin dare speak to her at all to Olivia. I was determined to keep the two distinctly separate in my mind, a hard enough feat considering they looked alike. Not to mention the weird thing that happened the first time Olivia stayed at Spinner's End. The ghost thing.

"You tensed. What's wrong?" she asked, looking up at me with concern shining in her green eyes.

"Nothing," I said automatically, but it was too late now. Now I was thinking of her.

"Something. Lupin may not know you, but _I _know you."

"…I'm just tired," I said. "I have to work in the morning."

"For _Him _or for Dumbledore?" she asked.

"Dumbledore."

"Good," she said, looking somewhat relieved. I didn't have the heart to tell her what I was doing for Albus wasn't much safer than working for the Dark Lord. When working for Albus, there was always the risk a death Eater would catch me…and betrayal of the Dark Lord was instant death. Though I had bluffed my way out of that countless times…

"Would you like to go to bed?" Olivia asked, sensing my reverie.

"Yes…though, if you don't mind…I'd rather be alone tonight."

"…Are you sure?" she asked, expressionless.

"Yes. I need some time to think."

"I understand," she said softly and stood up.

She kissed me softly on the lips, then headed upstairs. I sat there a moment longer, staring into the fireplace, thinking. I hoped I hadn't hurt her feelings. I almost used Legilimency to see, but out of respect for her I had not. She didn't seem too upset. Perhaps she did understand. If she wanted a night alone, I would understand.

**Olivia's POV**

I was a bit hurt that Snape had wanted me to sleep in my own room, but I made myself be understanding. Being with someone like him had to have its limitations…yet now I was left alone to think of Lupin.

I wanted to hate him. He had hurt me…but he had also been there for me. And now I felt bad for him. He was living amongst savage werewolves, for the Order. Trying to make friends and convince them to revolt against the Dark Lord. It was not an easy task.

I sighed and rolled over in my bed. I forced him out of my mind and made myself think of other things. I thought about the members of the Order. Some of them I already knew, like Moody and McGonagall. She had looked surprised to see me and kept shooting me curious glances throughout the whole meeting. Some of the others I didn't know, like Tonks, who turned out to be an Auror. I had liked her immediately. She was a Metamorphmagus- she could change her appearance at will…and sometimes not at will. When she was particularly angry her hair would turn bright red, like if someone called her by her first name- Nymphadora. I smiled into my pillow at the thought.

I'd also immediately liked Kingsley Shaklebolt, another Auror. He had a deep, soothing voice and a wicked awesome accent.

Most of the Order were Aurors, but I'd been told there were some Aurors who refused to believe the Dark Lord was back. They had grown far too comfortable and were ready to believe anything the _Daily Prophet _printed about Dumbledore being an old fool.

It took me a long time to fall asleep that night and when I woke up the next morning to go to work, Snape was already gone.


	37. Year 7 Chapter 3

So the weeks continued on as they had been. I attended a few more Order meetings made friends among the members. I stayed away from Lupin and kept up the same snide attitude Snape had with Black. I was finally allowed to make my own potions at work and was no longer under the constant supervision of Healer Mycroft.

One evening I was working late, brewing potions with a team of young healers. None of them were as talented as Snape and my work with them wasn't as flawless. It was ten o'clock and I was just getting ready to leave when Mycroft came and found me.

"Cain, Lenton, you're with me," he said. Lenton was a young Healer who had only recently graduated from being an intern. He was nice enough and rather brilliant- a former Ravenclaw. The two of us followed Mycroft out of the room and down the hall.

"Come," Mycroft said. "A baby down in Dartford has been stricken with dragon pox. He's too weak to move so we have to fly down to help him. I've already got the potion and there are brooms on the roof waiting for us. I'm assuming you are both decent flyers?"

Lenton and I both nodded.

The three of us headed upstairs and stepped out onto the roof. The wind was blowing harshly and it was considerably cold for Summer. We mounted our brooms and looked at Mycroft.

"Ascend quickly. Don't let yourselves be seen and stick close," he instructed.

"I don't think too many Muggles will be out and about in this," Lenton muttered to me. I nodded in agreement.

We ascended into the air and followed Mycroft through the storm. The rain stung as it pelted my face and hands. The journey took less than half an hour and I was grateful when it was over and we landed in front of house. There was a candle burning in the window. Mycroft knocked and the door was opened by an exhausted-looking man in his 30's. He had bags under his eyes and the fronts of his robes were singed.

"Mr. Land?" Mycroft asked.

"You must be the Healers. Come in, please. And thank you for coming out in this weather."

"Not a problem," Mycroft said as we followed Land inside. "My name is Healer Mycroft. This is Lenton and Cain."

"Pleased to meet you," the man said. "Little David is this way."

He led us into a nursery- the walls were painted a pale blue and puffy white clouds were bewitched to float along the wall paper. An exhausted-looking woman sat in a chair by a crib, wand in hand. Part of her hair was singed and smoking.

"His skin is all green and sparks shoot out of his nose when he sneezes," she said wearily. "He keeps setting the blankets on fire."

"That's definitely dragon pox," said Mycroft. "Lenton, you administer the potion."

Lenton took the bottle and approached the crib. I peered in curiously. The baby seemed impossibly tiny. He was sleeping heavily but he was pale and his skin had a green tinge to it. He had a few pock marks. You could tell where his sneezing had set the blankets on fire. There was even a teddy bear whose face was half-charred.

"Do you have a bottle I can put the potion in?" Lenton asked Mrs. Davis.

"Yes. One moment," she said. She left the room and returned a moment later with an empty baby bottle.

"He _just _fell asleep. I hate to wake him up…" she said softly as Lenton filled the bottle.

"It will help him get better," Mycroft assured her.

Lenton looked rather nervous at the prospect of waking the sleeping infant and hesitated beside the crib, bottle in hand. I raised an eyebrow at him, somewhat amused. He set the bottle aside and carefully lifted the baby using both hands. The child opened his bright blue eyes sleepily and immediately began to wail. Lenton looked alarmed and desperate.

I have to give Lenton credit- he didn't drop the baby when sparks began to shoot out of his nose and lit his robes on fire. He did holler loudly and I took the crying baby from him. I cradled the infant in my arms and sat down in an unoccupied chair. Mycroft handed me the bottle and I popped it into the open mouth of the wailing child. He was instantly silent and began to suck on the bottle passively.

He looked up at me with his bright blue eyes as he sucked down the potion. I couldn't help but think he was a cute baby…even if he did look like the creature from the black lagoon. Maybe they weren't so bad, babies…

Midway through the bottle, David began to cry again. I looked at Mycroft for an explanation.

"He's a baby. You have to burp him," he said, as if this should be obvious. I scowled at him, but really I didn't mind. I positioned the baby over my shoulder and began to pat his back tentatively.

"A little harder than that, Olivia," Mycroft said to me.

I obeyed and the baby let out a belch, along with a jet of flame that set Lenton's robes on fire again. I laughed as Lenton hopped around, then used a jet of water from his wand to put it out. The baby, who had been watching him as well, giggled weakly.

"Very amusing," Lenton said sardonically, but he was smiling, no doubt relieved that the baby was well enough to laugh.

The baby drank down the potion, then we applied a topical cream that would help rid him of his rash and his greenish tinge.

"If he continues to get worse, send for us or bring him to the hospital. If the sparks don't subside within three days, let us know. He should sleep through the night," Mycroft told the parents as we were about to leave.

"Than you so much Healer Mycroft. And Healer Cain."

"You're welcome," I said, blushing. "but I'm not a Healer. I'm just an intern."

"Well you are going to make an excellent Healer," Mrs. Land said.

"Thanks."

We stepped out into the rain which was now pouring down and we were all three instantaneously soaked.

"Ugh. I'm just going to Disapparate home, if it's all the same to you, Healer Mycroft," I said.

"Go right ahead. You performed exceptionally well tonight, Olivia. I will be sure and tell Dumbledore," he said with a smile.

"Thank you sir."

I nodded farewell to Lenton, then Disapparated with a pop.

When I appeared in the sitting room Snape jerked awake. He had obviously been dozing in his chair, waiting for me to come home. He looked at me sleepily.

"Where've you been?" he asked- not angry or distrustful, just weary and a touch concerned.

"We traveled to Dartford to heal a baby sick with dragon pox," I explained, going to stand by the fire in an attempt to warm and dry myself.

"Just you and Mycroft?"

"And a Healer named Lenton, though he was hardly of any help."

"Is he cute, this Lenton fellow?"

I scoffed.

"Not as cute as the baby I healed- David. He was only a few months old and he has the cutest blue eyes…"

"I didn't think you liked babies."

"I didn't either, but this one was cute. …Do you like babies?" I asked curiously.

"Not really, no. I never know what to do with babies…that's why I gave you to Ellen."

"Was I a cute baby?"

"You cried a lot," he replied, looking uncomfortable. "…Though that may have been my fault."

"Why's that?"

"Well I Disapparated with you several times. I brought you back here, then realized I had no idea what I was doing, so I took you to…to Ellen."

I looked at him curiously. He'd been about to say something else and now he was holding back. He had his mind shut to me. I scowled lightly.

"…You could have given me brain damage, Apparating with me so young," I said finally. He looked relieved that I hadn't questioned him.

"Who's to say I didn't?" he teased lightly.

**Snape's POV**

As August approached I realized that I really needed a break. As did Olivia. We both worked too much and we barely had time for each other anymore. So I asked Albus for some time off and got the Dark Lord's permission to go abroad, in search of giants. This was just an excuse, of course. I had no intention of looking for giants.

I talked to Mycroft one afternoon and secured some time off for Olivia. I surprised her by waiting for her in the lobby after work one evening.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, smiling slightly.

"I was talking to Mycroft. …We're going on vacation."

"You and I?"

"Of course."

"Awesome! …Where are we going?"

"I thought maybe we'd go back to the farm," I said casually. "See how things are going."

"But you hate the farm."

"I did before…now it might not be so bad," I said casually. "Besides…_you _like the farm. That's what really matters."

She smiled.

"How long are we staying?"

"Well, I've secured you two weeks off."

"And when are we leaving?"

"…Tomorrow morning."

"Why not tonight?" she said.

I chuckled quietly.

"I think tomorrow morning will suffice. We want to be well-rested for our journey."

She got a faraway look in her eye and smiled. It wasn't hard to guess she was thinking about our last journey to the farm…the night we had stayed at the inn together… I chuckled again.

"Are you hungry?" I asked her.

"Huh? I guess so."

"Would you like to eat before we go home?"

"Sure. Just let me go change into Muggle clothes," she said and motioned for me to follow her.

I followed her down several hallways, past rooms filled with people with magical illnesses. I paused briefly to watch a man belching flames who kept setting an annoyed-looking Healer on fire.

"Come on, Severus," Olivia said and I continued on.

Finally we came to a door. Olivia tried the handle and, finding it unlocked, pushed it open. The room contained several lockers, one of which she opened with a tap of her wand. She removed some Muggle clothes, shut the locker, and motioned again for me to follow her. Further back there was another door. This room contained several unoccupied bunk beds. Olivia locked the door behind us and began to undress.

"This is where the Healers come to rest when they are on call…or to have sex with Interns," she said, pulling her light blue robes off.

"Olivia," I chastised.

"Well it's true."

"Have you ever…?"

"No, of course not."

"…Do you want to?"

She grinned mischievously.

"Do _you _want to?" she asked.

"Only if we can do it quickly. I'd hate to get caught."

"Oh that won't be a problem."

Olivia and I left the hospital a short while later and went to eat at a little Muggle dinner not far from the hospital. Olivia told me she had eaten lunch there a few times with the other interns. She told me she was the youngest of the interns and the only one to still be in school.

When we left the diner we went home. Olivia went to her room to pack her suitcase and I did the same.

The next morning we awoke early, before the sun was up. I went downstairs and summoned breakfast from the Hogwarts kitchens while she took a shower and changed. She came down a short while later. She was dressed in jeans and a blue tank top.

I watched as she walked over to the window where there was an owl carrying the Daily Prophet. I hadn't even noticed the owl, I was too busy watching her.

"Knut?" she asked me.

"Huh?"

"Money. For the owl."

"Oh. Here."

She took the money and handed me the paper. Then she snagged a piece of toast off my plate, took a bite, and walked back over to the window. She gave the owl the money and a bit of toast, then came and sat down.

After breakfast we cleared away the dishes, then brought our suitcases downstairs. When Olivia came downstairs she had her broomstick with her.

"Actually, I have an idea…if you don't mind doing something mildly illegal," I said, smiling.

"Ooh, sounds fun," she said with a naughty grin. I pulled something out of my suitcase and held it out proudly.

"Is that…a magic carpet?" she asked in awe.

"It is. Once we're in the air, we can make it invisible. Less chance of getting caught."

"That's brilliant," she said.

"Thanks."

Of course I didn't tell her that it was actually the Dark Lord's idea. He was importing carpets form Egypt and India and he had generously lent me one. It had been his idea to make invisible flying carpets, giving his victims and some of his servants the illusion that he was flying without the use of a broomstick.

Olivia and I went out to the backyard with all of our stuff. It was still dark outside. I looked around the yard at the grass and the weeds. Along one side of the fenced in back yard were several rose bushes that had become overgrown since my mother died. I closed my eyes, recalling the times I had come home from Muggle school when I was younger, before my Hogwarts days. Most of the time my father would be at work and Mother would be in the backyard, pruning or watering the bushes, using her wand. It was the only time she ever smiled.

"Severus are you okay?" Olivia asked me quietly.

"Fine," I replied absently.

I shook my head to clear it, then spread the carpet out on the ground.

"Put your suitcase in the middle," I told her as I put mine down. She nodded and obeyed. I motioned for her to sit towards the back and she sat, cross-legged. I sat at the front of the carpet and tapped it with my wand. Slowly we ascended into the air.

**Olivia's POV**

The rug was soft, plush and beautiful. It was a rich blue color with ornate star and moon designs. I was somewhat regretful when Snape Disillusioned the carpet and a little freaked out to suddenly fin myself apparently soaring over clouds in midair.

"You okay?" Snape asked, looking back over his shoulder at me, smiling slightly.

"Lovely," I called back.

It remained dark for another hour, then the sky burst into color as the sun peeked over the horizon and rose slowly into the sky. We couldn't fly any lower than the clouds because the Muggles would be up and about now.

After several hours of sitting, my back started to hurt and I lay down on the invisible carpet. I moved slowly and carefully, making sure I could still feel something solid beneath me with my hands before laying my body down. Snape glanced back at me and smiled.

I rested my head on my arms and looked face down at the sea of clouds beneath us.

"Wow. Trippy," I sad aloud. Snape chuckled.

I was even more pleased when we finally reached the ocean. Snape directed the carpet to swoop low over the water, low enough for me to reach my hand over the side and let my fingers run through the water.

We flew over the ocean for quite a while, zipping back up in the clouds if we saw a ship on the horizon. It started to drizzle rain long before we reached the coast of Ireland. Snape cast a charm over the carpet so that the rain didn't get on us or our luggage. Either way, we touched down on the beach as soon as we reached the shore.

"We may as well camp here," Snape said. "I hate flying in the rain."

"Really?" I said, surprised that he would suggest camping.

He merely shrugged and pulled something out of his suitcase. A flick of his wand later and there was a waterproof tent erected on the sand.

"After you," he said, holding open the tent flap for me.

The tent was a lot bigger on the inside than the outside. It had a musty old smell to it. It was also styled with stuff that had probably been popular thirty years ago: blue shag carpet, a floral rug, a bright yellow sofa and a large bed with a floral bedspread. There was also a little 70s styled kitchenette.

I looked at Snape and raised an eyebrow.

"I borrowed it from Albus," he said defensively.

"Ha! I always knew Dumbledore was a hippie, with all that long hair."

He smiled a little and shook his head.

"I don't think it's been used for quite some time," he said, walking around and looking at things.

"Obviously. Would you like for me to make some tea?" I asked. "It's gotten a bit chilly."

He nodded and I went into the little kitchenette.

The rain had stopped by the time it started to get dark but neither of us suggested leaving. He did leave the tent and after a moment I followed him to find he had started a small bonfire on the sand. He used his wand to draw up two chairs and sat.

"I'm hungry," I said as I sat down.

"I could summon food from Hogwarts?" he offered.

"Yeah, but that's so normal…why not do what Muggles do on the beach?"

"What do Muggle do on the beach?" he asked.

I grinned mischievously.

"Besides _that_," he said, also smiling.

"Roast hotdogs, marshmallows, that sort of thing."

"We can do that," he said and with a wave of his wand made a package of hotdgos and a bag of marshmallows appear.

"You can't make food out of nothing."

"No, but you can summon it if you know where it is already," he said. "…Even if it's a Muggle grocery store."

"That's stealing," I pointed out and grinned. "I like it."

Snape found a stick and we roasted hotdogs. After that he put two marshmallows on the stick. He stuck them inside the flames a moment, then pulled them out. He blew out the flame and offered me a slightly burnt marshmallow.

"You've done this before, haven't you?" I asked, taking one of the marshmallows. He shrugged and I took a bite of the marshmallow.

"I am a man of many talents," he said mysteriously.

Once I'd had my fill of marshmallows, I stood up.

"I want to go swim," I said.

"In the ocean?"

"Yeah."

"What about jellyfish…and sharks?"

"If you're so worried," I said, stripping of my shorts and tank top. "Why not come with me?"

"And get eaten myself?" he scoffed. "No thanks."

"Suit yourself," I said, then tossed aside my clothes and ran into the water.

The moon was near full and I had good visibility. Not that I was all that worried about sharks. They had sense enough to avoid the shore, most of the time.

I dove under a few times and was floating on my back when I heard something in the water. I turned my head to see Snape wading out towards me, shirtless.

"-can't believe you made me come out here," he was muttering.

"_You _made you come out here," I said, grinning.

Then I ducked underwater, swam up to him, came up and squirted a mouthful of water at him.

"That's disgusting Olivia," he said, wiping his face. "Fish pee in that."

I laughed loudly and grabbed him, pulling him down into the water. He came up coughing and sputtering. I laughed again and pushed his wet hair out of his face to kiss him. He put his arms around me and held me close.

"I'm surprised you came out here," I murmured. "You don't seem to like water all that much."

"I don't like water…but I do like you. I wanted to make sure you were okay."

I smiled and kissed him again. I tried to lead him into the deeper water, but he resisted.

"I can't," he said reluctantly.

"Why not?"

"…I can't swim," he admitted.

"Severus…it's not difficult. I could teach you."

"You could… or we could go back to the shore and do something more fun than swimming."

"I'm up for that," I said, following him back towards the shore.

We didn't quite make it to the sand. He lay me down in the shallows where the waves lapped the sand and kissed me hungrily. I chuckled quietly as he slid down my panties.

"Eager, aren't we?"

He said nothing but smiled as he slid one finger inside of me.

"You're one to talk," he murmured in my ear.

"What can I say-" I said with a ragged gasp. "-You have that effect on me."

**Snape's POV**

I don't know what drove me to camp on the beach with Olivia, even after the rain had stopped, but we both thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We left the next morning before the sun rose and had reached the farm before noon. We flew over it at first, looking down at the oblivious workers. It certainly looked different than last time. Most of the pasture had been turned into a garden- there were acres of corn, tomatoes, potatoes and other plants I couldn't readily identify. There was still a bit of land that had been saved as a pasture which held several horses and two cows.

"It looks like it's doing really well," Olivia said. "There are so many more workers now."

"Albus pays them generously for the produce they supply Hogwarts with," I said.

We touched down behind the barn where no one could see us and I rolled up the magic carpet and stowed it in my suitcase. We started towards the main house but were stopped before we got there by several workers, including Olivia's friend Thomas.

"Well I'll be- if it ain't little Livvy and her guardian," he said, embracing her. I tried to ignore the pang of jealousy I felt- it was just a friendly hug. They'd been childhood friends, after all.

"I didn't think we'd be seeing y'all this year," said a tall, tan man wearing a cowboy hat. It took me a minute to recall his name- Don. He was the horse trainer who ended up plotting out the whole supplying the kitchens idea when I first suggested it. He was smart for a Muggle and had did the math and put a lot into what went where, at least according to Albus.

"How have things been?" Olivia asked Don.

"Good. It's been real profitable, what your friend here suggested," he replied, nodding to me. Olivia smiled at me and I just stood there, feeling sort of awkward.

"And we got a new horse when the O'Malley's moved. She's a beautiful filly with a gorgeous grey speckled coat and black stockings. And fast, too. But she won't take a rider."

"What do you mean? You've trained hundreds of horses," Olivia said.

"I've never encountered a horse as feisty and spirited as Titri. She will not be broken. You'll have to meet her yourself. Would you like to see her now?"

"I'd love to. Severus, will you come?" she asked me.

"Perhaps you can show me later. I'll take our things up to the house, alright?"

"If you're sure…"

I nodded and took her suitcase from her. I watched Olivia walk off with Don and Thomas, then headed into the house by myself.

I was met in the living room by Ms. Hudson, a Squib who was the housekeeper/cook.

"Bless me- is Livvy with you, dearie?" the woman asked me.

"She's out in the barn with Don. I thought I'd bring our things in."

"I wish you two had given us a bit of notice. I could have dusted- changed the sheets in the guest bedroom," she fretted.

"I'm sure the sheets are fine," I assured her.

"Would you like some help? I could take Olivia's things up, if you like?" she offered.

"No thank you. I can handle it. Besides, it smells as if you have something wonderful in the works in the kitchen," I said.

It was the truth- the whole house smelled delectably of baked ham.

"Go on then," she said, giggling and blushing slightly. As she headed back into the kitchen, I made my way quickly upstairs to the rooms where Olivia and I had stayed last time we were here.

I put my suitcase in the room that had been mine, then walked next door to the room that was Olivia's. I smiled as I looked around the room. It was filled with stuff from her childhood- even the bed sheets had horses on them. I tossed her suitcase on her bed, though I doubted she would adhere to sleeping in her own room. I went to stand and look out the window when I noticed a drawing on the wall. It was a sketch of a horse racing. It was rather good, considering she had probably been around seven when she drew it. She was a good artist. Before now I had only ever seen her put her talent into doodling on her parchment in class if she got bored. She often told me it helped her think, so I always let her get away with it.

I looked out the window, down to where I could see the red gleam of Olivia's hair in the pasture. She was standing with Don and the two were looking at the three grazing horses. One was a very white mare who I recognized as Moonstar, Olivia's favorite horse. Even from the window I could tell that the horse was very pregnant. I watched as Olivia patted her muzzle gently, then carefully felt the horse's swollen stomach and listened at her side.

I headed downstairs but the lunch bell rang before I could go outside. I stepped aside as a slew of workers came in and headed for the dining room. I waited for Olivia just inside the door and when she came in I was at her side in an instant. We sat together at the table and she pressed her leg gently against mine beneath the table. She talked to me about the horses and despite my best efforts, I didn't really listen. Mostly I was thinking about how beautiful she looked and how I loved the gleam she got in her eye when she talked about something she loved.

"-thinking we could go out and see them after lunch, if you want," she said to me. "Just you and me."

"We could do that," I said with a nod.

Olivia's friend Thomas sat across from us, but I was pleased to see that he seemed to have a girlfriend.

"Where's Matthew?" Olivia asked him curiously.

"With Dad. But he's due to come out next week and he'll be staying until school starts back," he replied.

"And what have you been up to?" she asked.

"Work mostly. I've been giving riding lessons to kids from town to earn some extra money. That's how I met Cassie. Fifteen years old and she'd never been on a horse."

"You're only fifteen?" Olivia asked the blonde girl who was sitting beside Thomas, possessively clutching his arm. To me, Olivia sounded a bit amused but I didn't think anyone else noticed.

"Yep. Now I've been coming out Tuesdays and Thursdays for lessons and helping out when I can," said the girl, Cassie, with a giggle.

When Olivia finished eating she led me outside before most of the workers had finished eating.

"How old is your little friend again?" I murmured in her ear as we walked. "The boy?"

"20."

"And he's dating a fifteen year old?"

"I know," she said with an amused smile. "But it's not as if we really have room to talk."

"Good point."

Moonstar was mildly grazing some grass, her sides heaving. Olivia petted her gently.

"She's likely to have the foal within a week. Isn't that great? We'll be here for it."

"That's great, I guess. For you. I'm not being anywhere near that when that goes down," I said seriously. Olivia laughed.

The grey speckled horse they had mentioned earlier was grazing by the fence, but she perked up when Olivia laughed. The horse and Olivia looked at each other for the longest time. She held out her hand and made a come here noise. The horse just looked at her, let out a snort, and took off running. We watched her run around the entire pasture, never slowing down or getting tired. She looked as if she loved to run.

"God that horse is fast," Olivia said, watching her with dreamy eyes.

"But Don said she can't be ridden?" I asked, feeling somewhat glad. I wasn't so sure I would want Olivia on the back of that thing.

"Nope. She's thrown every potential rider and always manages to get rid of the saddle and halters. He used to tell me every horse can be broken…but Titri has spirit," she said, watching the horse. "Even Don has admitted defeat."

We saddled up two of the other horses: Napoleon, a thoroughbred stallion who I had ridden before- the _only _horse I'd ever ridden before- and a brown gelding named Morrow.

"How do you know what to call a horse?" I asked curiously as we started down a trail.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, like you said Morrow is a gelding…and Don called Titri a filly. And I know there's more, like a stallion and a mare and colt foal."

"Oh, it's not that difficult. Let's see…every baby horse is called a foal. A colt is a boy and a filly is a girl, less than three of four years of age. Then a mare is a female horse of riding or breeding age and a stallion is an adult male horse," she explained.

"And what's a gander?"

"A castrated male horse."

"Oh," I said and grimaced. "Poor Morrow."

Olivia just looked at me and smiled.

**Olivia's POV**

After dinner that evening Snape went to his room and I went to mine. I waited impatiently for the house to quiet down and everyone to go to bed. I read books while I waited. At first I was studying some textbooks from St. Mungo's or Hogwarts. Then I found myself reading some of the books on my shelf from when I was a kid. Muggle books on horses, most of them fiction.

Toward midnight I crept out of my room and knocked lightly on Snape's door, wearing noting but pajama bottoms and a tank top.

"Come in," he said softly from within.

I opened the door and slipped inside quickly, sealing the door behind me. Snape was already in bed and he motioned for me to join him. I crawled under the covers and snuggled up next to him. I giggled softly as he put an arm around me and kissed me gently, right below my ear, his breath warm on my skin.

"Are you happy to be here?" he murmured.

"Yes."

"Even though it means missing work?"

"Yes. I am very happy here."

"Good," he said and kissed me again.

"Are _you _happy here?" I inquired.

"It is good to get away," was all he said.

Snape and I spent the next morning walking around the farm. We watched the workers who were pulling weeds from between pea plants or harvesting ears of corn. A few of them were discreetly using magic- rather poorly- to aid in their work. Snape stiffened and grabbed my arm when a flock of chickens crossed our path. I laughed at him.

"It's only chickens, Severus. Don't be so jumpy. You act like the Dark Lord's going to pop out of the corn," I said.

Then we both looked towards the rows and rows of corn and laughed uneasily. I heard a quite peeping noise and looked down to see a fluffy black chick who had gotten separated from the others.

"Aw, poor baby," I said, picking it up and stroking its soft feathers.

"Don't ask me to let you keep it," Snape said warningly. "I'll say no."

"Of course not. I wouldn't be able to take care of a chicken back home," I aid. "But I am going to help him find his mommy chicken."

He snorted and shook his head, but followed me anyway as I walked in the direction the flock had gone.

"They're really cute, Severus. Don't you want to hold him?"

"Pass," he said dryly.

"Come on, Severus, touch my chicken."

He gave me a pained expression and touched the baby chick with one finger.

"…It is very soft," he admitted, stroking its feathers. I gently transferred the chick to his hands. It began to peep wildly and flap its small wings.

I heard a loud squawk and looked up to see the mother chicken running towards us angrily.

"Severus- put the chick down," I said quickly.

"Why, what-?"

And the mother chicken collided with him, furiously pecking his shoes. He looked rather alarmed.

"Okay, okay- here," he said, bending over to put the chick down. "It's fine, see- Ow!"

Despite having its baby back, the mother chicken was pecking his hands furiously.

"Hey! Go on, shoo!" I said loudly to the chickens. The mother chicken shot me a contemptuous look before squawking angrily and stalking away, the black chick following her and peeping in a seemingly amused way.

"Are you okay?" I asked Snape, trying not to laugh.

"No. I was attacked by a rabid chicken! I'm _bleeding_."

"I don't think chickens can get rabies, love. Let me see," I said. He reluctantly showed me his hands, which were covered in peck marks, a few of which were bleeding.

"You'll be fine. That's nowhere near the damage an owl can do. You want to go back up to the house and get some Dittany?"

"No. No, I'll be fine," he said, looking as if he felt a bit foolish. I chuckled quietly.

"It's not funny," he said sullenly.

"You're so cute," I said and kissed his hand.

He scowled slightly, but smiled in spite of himself.

That evening after dinner, I felt restless. Snape told me he was going to go shower.

"I think I'll go out for a walk," I told him.

"You want me to go with you?"

"No. I'd like to go alone."

"Okay…Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"I'll be fine, Severus," I said with a smile. "Don't wait up, okay?"

"If you say so."

I kissed his lips and headed downstairs.

It was dark outside and the half-full moon hadn't risen all the way. I could hear crickets chirping and owls stirring. As I walked past the barn, a horse whinnied. I considered saddling up Napoleon and going for a ride, but decided I felt more like walking. I passed the barn, the chicken coop, the rows and rows of tomatoes and peas. I felt like I was looking for something, but I wasn't sure what. My heart started pounding as I got closer to the cornfield.

The stalks loomed over me, some of them pushing eight feet tall. A gust of wind caught the tops of the stalks and mad them bend eerily. With a chill I remembered wha tI had said to Snape earlier when he had been acting so jumpy- like he expected the Dark Lord to jump out of the corn. And at that moment, something leapt out of the stalks at me.

Fast as lightning I whipped out my wand, though I also uttered a high-pitched scream. The light from my wand showed my 'attacker' was only a fat gray and orange cat.

"Jesus, kitty. You scared me," I said aloud, trying to calm my nerves. I let out a shaky laugh and the cat started to wrap herself around my legs, purring very loudly. I reached down to pet her and she trotted back into the corn. She looked back at me as if she wanted me to follow her. I got an eerie feeling again…but this time it was the feeling that the cat was trying to tell me something important. So of course I walked into the cornfield, following the cat down rows and rows of corn, until I felt certain I would be lost if she didn't lead me out.

"Where are we going, kitty?" I asked aloud, starting to feel anxious. She meowed loudly and glanced back at me with glowing orb eyes. She stopped suddenly and sat down, just looking at me.

"What?" I asked the cat. "Why'd you bring me out here."

I got the sudden feeling that the cat might be an Animagus.

"…Who are you?" I asked.

"The cat is not an Animagus," said an amused voice from behind me. I recognized the voice immediately. I whipped around and blasted him off his feet.

**Author's Note: **Sorry to leave you guys for so long. Hope this update makes up for not posting in a while. I've been super busy- starting college and moving out of my mom's house this week (FINALLY!). AAAND I am getting a place that will have Wi-Fi! Very important, as this means you guys will get updates more often. Hoorah for internet.

Hopefully I will be posting again soon.

Until then, read and review! Who do you think Olivia has found in the corn?

~LilReporterGirl


	38. Year 7 Chapter 4

Lupin lay sprawled on the ground before me. He groaned and looked around. He'd landed on and broken three cornstalks.

"What do you want?" I demanded.

"Olivia, it's me," he said. I didn't exactly lower my wand.

"I know."

"Why are you pointing your wand at me? We used to be friends…we're both in the Order."

I lowered my wand.

"We were more than friends," I muttered as I stowed away my wand.

"It's stupid to be mad at me for that," he pointed out. "You knew."

I had nothing to say to this.

"What are you doing here? In Ireland?" I demanded. "How did you find me?"

He let out a groan and tried to get to his feet. By the light of the half moon I could see his robes were more tattered than ever before and he looked as if he had aged ten years since I last saw him at the meeting.

I recalled that he had been living amongst savage werewolves and felt pity for him. I helped him to his feet.

"Thanks," he said.

"Whatever. What happened to your cane?"

"One of the little werewolves chewed it up."

"There are baby werewolves?" I asked, thinking this was both horrible and cute.

"Well there are children who were turned and there are the children of the alpha male and female…" he said, his voice sounding distant.

He was silent a moment.

"Dumbledore helped me find you," he said finally.

"Oh of course," I scoffed. "_Why_?"

"I need someplace to stay for a while. He thought I could work on the farm- he said there are a lot of Squibs who work here and less-skilled wizards. Plus there's all that forest, so when I transform…"

I looked up at the sky, at the moon.

"Why? Why me? Why now?" I said, then looked back at him. "I thought you were underground?"

"That, ah…well, it backfired," he said and showed me a particularly nasty gash on his arm.

I tried to ignore the pang of concern I felt.

"When did it happen?" I asked coolly.

"Late last night. I went to Dumbledore immediately and he suggested I come out here. I've been out here all day, scoping things out."

I shook my head.

"Why did you lure me out here? Why not just come and knock at the house?" I asked.

"Well, I wasn't so sure that Severus would be thrilled to see me And I thought maybe if I talked to you first…"

"Ugh," I exclaimed, frustrated, and kicked at one of the downed cornstalks. "Why do you have to come and ruin everything? This is supposed to be a vacation. Life is supposed to be simple."

"I'm not here to complicate things. I just need a place to stay," he said quickly. "…If you don't want me to stay, just say so. I'll leave."

I let out a frustrated growl and took off through the corn. I wasn't going to tell him he couldn't stay. The farm was supposed to be a safe haven.

I morphed into my Animagus form in order to find my way out of the field. Then I let my instinct carry me away form the corn and back to the barn. I slipped inside quietly and Titri started to whinny. I quickly morphed back into human.

"Shh," I said soothingly. "I'm sorry."

The filly quieted down. I approached her stall but she wouldn't let me touch her so I went over to Moonstar instead. I patted her and talked to her quietly, then sat down on a stool just inside her stall so I could run my fingers through her mane while I pondered my predicament.

I felt suddenly as if someone else were in the barn with me. I looked up, expecting to see Lupin or at least Don. What I saw instead was a seventeen-year-old red-haired girl with almond-shaped emerald green eyes, leaning against the stall door and looking down at me with a mild expression on her face.

"Hey Livvy. How's it going?" Lily Evans asked me casually.

"How's it going?" I repeated. "Great. Excellent. I'm just completely insane, that's all. Seeing dead people I've never met. As if my night didn't suck enough already."

"We have met," she said indifferently.

"When, on Spinner's End? That doesn't count."

"No. When you were a baby."

"…You knew my mother?"

"No I didn't know Lynn. Or Ellen."

"…Severus?"

She nodded.

"He brought you to me first when he found you. We cleaned you up and took care of you before he took you to Ellen."

I could think of nothing to say to this. I noticed what she was wearing for the first time- boots, jeans and a white t-shirt. Her red hair was in one long braid down her back and she wore a white cowgirl cat on her head.

"Why me?" I asked for the second time that night. "You know Severus will know I've seen you. It will just upset him."

And in that instant I really didn't like her, charismatic person though she was.

"I don't mean to hurt him. I never meant to hurt him…" she said softly, then shook her head. "This isn't about him."

"Who is it about?"

"Remus. He needs a place to stay."

"I'm aware," I said coolly.

"Are you letting him stay?"

"I don't really have a choice. I have to do what I can to help the Order. Besides, he could use the job and he would fit in well here…"

"And you and Severus can brew the Wolfsbane for him."

"What? No we can't. The month is half over," I said. "There isn't enough time to brew it."

"There is. Start tomorrow, add double the Wolfsbane on the seventh day. Stir it three times clockwise, three counterclockwise each night at sunset every day of the week leading up to the moon. And watch it carefully to ensure it doesn't start to boil, just let it simmer. And Remus should take it every night for three days before the full moon."

I stared at her silently.

"Have some parchment and a quill by any chance?" I asked dryly.

"You'll remember it," she said certainly. "…I know you are a good person at heart, Olivia. You will help Remus."

"Yeah…but what about Severus?"

"Don't' worry about that- Severus loves you."

"…He loves _you_," I said somewhat bitterly.

"You and I are very alike," she admitted. "But Severus loves you, Olivia."

I stood with a sigh. Lily walked around the barn, looking at the horses. She stopped outside of Titri's stall and snapped her fingers. The filly's ears perked up and she trotted over to Lily and allowed her to pet her soft muzzle.

"Hey," I said, leaving Moonstar's stall and walking over to Titri's."

"She's a very smart horse," Lily said. "She has a lot of energy."

Cautiously I reached out and touched Titri. She didn't pull away.

"You'll find Lupin down by the river," Lily said, taking the hat off her head and putting in on my own. "Oh I almost forgot- when you go to make the potion, add honeysuckle. It eases off that illness. You'll find honeysuckle is a good addition to a lot of potions."

"What is this, a potions lesson from beyond?" I asked. She chuckled.

"No. I learned these things from experimenting. You have good instincts, Livvy- follow them."

And then she was gone. Just like that. One minute she was there, the next she was gone and I was left with a cowgirl hat. My hand was still on Titri's muzzle and she didn't seem the least bit disturbed.

"I guess I'd better go see Lupin… I hope you're still this nice tomorrow," I said to the horse and she nickered.

I left the barn and touched the hat on my head, making sure it was still there.

It was a long walk to the river but I didn't want to risk transforming and losing the hat.

Lupin was sitting with his back against an oak tree, his feet trailing in the river.

"There are snakes in there you know," I said as I approached. He looked up, not surprised to see me there.

"I've been bitten by worse," he stated simply.

I tried not to laugh and he grinned.

"So…can I stay?" he asked anxiously.

"You can. I guess."

"Thank you," he said. He stood up, put his shoes back on, and we started towards the house.

"Where did you get the hat?" he asked.

"It's a mystical object that shouldn't exist. Some sort of delusion or phenomenon," I murmured.

"Really? It looks like a hat to me."

I pondered what to do the whole walk back to the house but was saved the need to make a decision when Ms. Hudson came out the house as we approached. She wore a furry pink housecoat and matching slippers. She held a flashlight in her hand. She didn't even ask for an explanation.

"Come on dearie. We'll get you a nice cup of tea and something to eat. How does that sound?" she asked, taking Lupin by the arm.

"Excellent," he said, wincing slightly as she had unknowingly grabbed his injured arm, "Really excellent. Thank you."

I followed the two of them into the kitchen. Ms. Hudson motioned for Lupin to sit at the counter on a stool while she boiled water for tea and searched for something for him to eat. Under the fluorescent lights, Lupin looked even older, dirtier and even wearier than he had outside. The gash on his arm looked worse, too.

"I'll get you something for your arm," I told him. "…Don't worry. Ms. Hudson will take good care of you."

"I'm sure," he said, smiling politely at her. "Ms. Hudson, is it? My name is Remus John Lupin. It was very rude of Olivia not to introduce us."

I made a face at him and left the kitchen.

I went upstairs quietly and crept past the door to Snape's room. The light was out and I hoped that meant he was asleep. I went to my own room and dug through my suitcase in the compartment where I kept my medical supplies and potions ingredients until I found all the things I needed. Then I crept back downstairs, levitating the lot of it in front of me with my wand.

When I came back into the kitchen Lupin was eating ravenously from a plate of leftovers Ms. Hudson had fixed for him.

"You eat like you haven't had a decent meal in ages," Ms. Hudson said to him.

"I haven't eaten a meal this good since I quit teaching at Hogwarts," he said through a mouth filled with ham and biscuit.

"Don't talk with your mouth full," I said sharply, frowning, as I laid out my supplied.

He rolled his eyes at me and closed his mouth.

"Why did you quit teaching?" Ms. Hudson asked him curiously. He and I exchanged looks.

"She should know," I said. "You're going to be staying here, after all."

He nodded solemnly and waved his hand at me, since he was still eating.

"…Remus is a werewolf, Ms. Hudson," I said, regarding her reaction carefully. She didn't seem fazed.

"Oh you're not the first, dearie," she said dismissively.

"Wha- really?" I asked. "Who else? Anyone I know?"

"Hm… Do you remember Rudy?" she asked.

"Sure."

Rudy was a big, burly black man who had been around when one year when Ellen and I had visited. He had mucked out stalls, fed the cows, did the milking, fixed the doors…anything he got asked to do, he did. He was skilled at any type of manual labor.

"He was one. They come and go throughout the years and they never stay long, but they are damned good workers. As long as you stay away from the horses and get far off during the full moon, we'll be fine."

"I will," he said solemnly.

"You aren't so different, dear," Ms. Hudson said. "Werewolves aren't the weirdest people we've had around here."

"Really?" he said, intrigued.

"Well sure. Used to be this girl we let stay up in the attic- that's where she _wanted _to stay- that was covered in thick, long hair, all over her body. Some sort of charm or potion that backfired, that they hadn't been able to reverse. She looked like cousin It from _The Addams Family_."

Lupin and I exchanged confused looks.

"It's a Muggle TV show," she explained. "Her name was Nora- leastways, that's what we called her. She couldn't really talk though. Used to help me clean."

"Well that's not as bad as turning into a savage beast once a month," Lupin pointed out. "Nora never killed anyone, did she?"

"You won't kill anyone," she said dismissively. "You can lock yourself in the root cellar, with magic. That's what some of the others did."

"Actually that won't be necessary," I interrupted. "Severus and I will be brewing the Wolfsbane Potion for him."

"But the month is half over," Lupin pointed out. "Doesn't it take a whole month?"

I thought quickly.

"There have been some breakthroughs," I said. "There is a whole Healer's team dedicated to experimenting with Wolfsbane at St. Mungo's. …I feel confident I can do it in two weeks. And if not, well, I'm an Animagus. I've controlled you before."

I didn't want to admit where I'd actually gotten the idea for the Wolfsbane- after all, that would mean admitting I was totally insane. It was bad enough I was going to have to let Snape know I had seen the ghost of his ex-love once again. Luckily, both Lupin and Ms. Hudson were ready to believe my lie- Ms. Hudson seemed more intrigued by the fact that I was an Animagus and wanted me to show her.

"Later. I want to work on his arm. He's got quite a nasty gash," I said. Lupin nodded and pulled up his sleeve to show her.

"Oh my! That looks terrible," she gasped, turning a bit green. "Uhm…It's rather late. I think I'll turned in. Livvy looks like she can handle it."

She bade us goodnight and scurried out of the kitchen.

"Huh. I wouldn't have pegged her as the squeamish type," Lupin said, watching her leave.

"She is. She fainted when I broke my arm as a kid. Luckily, Ellen was able to heal it pretty quickly."

"You broke your arm?"

"Yeah. Fell out of an apple tree. While you're just sitting there, can you look for a knife for me? Most preferably a fillet knife."

"Wait, why do you need a fillet knife? You're not cutting into my arm, are you?" he asked, panicked.

"Don't be ridiculous," I snorted.

While he rummaged through the drawers I put his plate- which he had practically licked clean- into the sink. Then I laid my Dittany on Ms. Hudson's ceramic cutting board.

"Got it," Lupin said, and handed me the knife handle-first.

"Good," I said as I began rapidly dicing the Dittany. "Now, shirt off."

He smiled slightly.

"I would say something witty but I don't want to push my luck."

"_Don't_," I warned, pointing at him with the fillet knife. He raised his hands innocently.

He removed his shirt, which was ripped and dirty, and sat down again. I worked on his arm for a good half hour, carefully cleansing the wound with an antiseptic I mixed up, then putting essence of Dittany on it. If it had been any other wound, it would be nothing but a scar by that point, but this one was still oozing blood.

"…Did a werewolf do this to you?" I asked, dabbing on some more Dittany.

"Duh," he said, his teeth set against the pain.

"But he wasn't transformed."

"No. It is still considered a magical bite. It will take a while to heal."

I frowned at the wound and after trying a few other things- Lupin claimed I was purposefully torturing him- I bound the wound well with bandages.

"Don't let that get wet," I warned as he helped me clean up.

The clock on the wall said 2 a.m. by the time it was all over.

"Where can I sleep?" Lupin asked. "I'm exhausted."

"Hm. Tomorrow you'll be in the workers quarters. For tonight you can sleep upstairs."

He followed me upstairs and I opened my bedroom door.

"You can sleep in here. _Don't _touch any of my stuff. There's a bathroom across the hall, you can shower if you want. Just try not to make a lot of noise- Snape's room is right next door."

"And who's room are you going to be sleeping in?" he asked somewhat playfully.

"Don't," I growled. He just smiled and walking into the room. He looked around curiously.

"Cute," he said, grinning at the horse bedspread.

"Shut up," I snapped. "…Don't let Severus see you in the morning before I can talk to you. Don't leave the bedroom door open. Don't get your bandages wet, don't sleep on your left side, and don't take the bandages off."

"Yes Healer Cain," he said lightly.

I scowled and shut the door on him.

I went into Snape's room quietly so as not to wake him. I felt somewhat guilty, though I hadn't done anything wrong. I kicked off my shoes and crawled into bed. Snape moved in his sleep to put his arms around me.

"I love you," he murmured.

"You won't in the morning," I murmured back, but he wasn't really awake.


	39. Year 7 Chapter 5

**Author's Note**: Hi, thanks for all the reviews you guys! I officially have internet! J

Also, thanks for those who read my NCIS oneshot- I'm currently working on another NCIS shortfic, but haven't seen all of season 8 yet.

Anyways here is another update; I know y'all are waiting on it.

~LilReporterGirl

I awoke before Snape the next morning, but only a few minutes before. I barely had time to remember _why _I felt so tired and miserable before he was kissing my neck, his breath warm on my skin.

"Stop," I said heavily.

"I don't want to," he said, using his tongue to send shivers down my spine.

"I have to tell you something," I said, sitting up.

He looked up at me curiously, then sat up as well. I took a deep breath.

"Albus told Lupin he could stay here and work on the farm," I said quickly, in one breath.

He stared at me wordlessly.

"…When does he arrive?" he asked finally.

"He's already here," I said quietly. "He showed up last night."

"So that's why you went for a walk."

"No, Severus, it's not like that. I didn't even want him to stay. …Look. Look at me," I said, taking his face in my hands and forcing him to look in my eyes. He knew what I meant and delved into my mind with Legilimency.

I reviewed the night's events for him, hesitating when I reached the scene with Lily in the barn.

"I'm not sure you want to see…" I said softly.

"What is it you don't want me to see?" he asked.

"It's not that _I _don't want you to see… _You _wouldn't want you to see."

"I don't understand," he said, sounding somewhat irritated.

"Well…do you remember the summer I stayed with you, when Ellen went on vacation?"

"Of course I do."

"Well do you remember the day I saw that girl?"

"What girl?" he snorted.

"The girl that looked like me!" I snapped.

He instantly fell silent and his face paled.

"Wh- wha-?"

"Lily."

He stared at me, then looked away.

"You have to show me," he said hoarsely.

"You don't believe me? That's nice," I said huffily.

"No… I do believe you. …That's the problem."

Without saying anything further, he delved into my mind, rather painfully.

I let him see the memory, then he pulled out. He stood and walked over to the window, looking out. He glanced at the cowgirl hat, which was laid alongside my wand on the bedside table, then he turned back to the window.

"Why you?" he murmured, barely loud enough for me to hear.

"Believe me, I asked myself the same thing several times last night," I said.

He leaned his forehead against the glass of the window.

"Leave me," he said softly. "…I need some time alone."

"Fine," I said, shoving my feet into my shoes. I thrust my wand into my pocket and put Lily's hat on my head.

"Don't…" he said and I paused with my hand on the door. "Don't be mad at me."

"Why would I be?" I said quietly.

**Snape's POV**

I sat in my room until I heard the lunch bell. By then I had regained control of my emotions…mostly. Now I wanted to see what Lupin was doing and see how Olivia was acting around him. She had seemed loathe to have him here…but then she had fixed up his arm and let him sleep in her bed.

I made my way downstairs to the dining room where most everyone was already seated. Olivia was at the opposite end of the table from Lupin. He was sitting amongst some of the workers, talking cheerfully. Olivia shot him a dirty look, then saw me and motioned for me to come sit beside her. She still wore the hat Lily had given her.

"You okay?" she asked me quietly when I sat down.

"Yes."

"Sure?"

I nodded, and began eating.

"I thought we'd get started on the Wolfsbane Potion today," I said casually as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

"You want to try it?" she asked, sounding surprised.

"Of course. Don't you?"

"Well, yeah. I discussed it with Don earlier and he said we can use one of the unused barns to brew the potion in."

"I suppose that will suffice. The problem is, we don't have all the ingredients we need."

"I thought of that as well," she said, sounding somewhat pleased with herself. "There's a Wizarding village called Cian that's not too far form here- maybe a two hour flight. I asked Ms. Hudson this morning. She said she goes there every once in a while. Apparently she can do simple potions."

"Many Squibs find themselves capable at potions, as there isn't a lot of magic involved," I said. "Well, it seems you've thought of everything. When do we leave?"

"Whenever you want to."

I glanced down the table at Lupin, who Ms. Hudson was encouraging to eat more in a motherly tone.

"How about after lunch?" I suggested.

"Sounds excellent," she said.

After we ate, I went upstairs to get my cloak and the magic carpet. Olivia was waiting for me just outside the front door.

"Do they all know?" I asked as we walked away from the house. "About what Lupin is?"

"Most of them. He's not the first werewolf to stay here, apparently."

We waited until we were out of sight of the house before putting the magic carpet down and sitting on it. I tapped the carpet and we ascended into the air.

We didn't talk much the ride to Cian.

"I can't believe Ms. Hudson never told me about the Wizarding village. You'd think Ellen and I would have gone here before," Olivia said as we were flying. She had a map spread out in front of her.

"I've heard of the village before, but I didn't know it was this close."

"Do you think they'll have different ingredients? Stuff we can't get in Diagon Alley?"

"I believe so. I just hope they will have everything we need."

We touched down outside the Muggle village of Loch, like Ms. Hudson said we should when she'd given us the map. We walked through the village and found the pub called McAllisters. It was a dodgy little place, not unlike the Leaky Cauldron in London. There were no Muggles inside the pub, it was all witches and wizards eating and drinking. None of them said anything to us. Olivia let me through to a hall in the back where there were two payphones.

"Ms. Hudson said take the receiver and dial 91773," she said, taking one of the phones. I took the other and we dialed at the same time. Nothing happened for a moment, then- we were whisked through the phones by our ears.

We were deposited at the end of a dark alley, but beyond we could see the light, and activity of the village of Cian.

"Cool," Olivia said as we walked towards the light. "But I think I prefer the brick gateway in Diagon Alley."

There were dozens of shops of all sorts, not unlike Diagon Alley, but with more taverns and tobacco shops. There was a wand shop, a broom shop, an animal shop, a sweetshop filled with kids of all ages. There was even a branch of Gringott's bank.

Olivia insisted on going into every shop. I didn't mind so much- there was a lot of stuff you couldn't find in Diagon Alley. Plus any time spent with her was time she wasn't spending with Lupin.

She spent the most amount of time in the petshop. I believe she petted, hugged or talked to every animal in there. I just followed her around, a small smile on my face.

We went into the bookstore next door. Here I branched out on my own and found a few books on the Dark Arts and Potions that I purchased. When I met up with Olivia she carried several Potions books as well as a book entitled _Olde Irish Folklore _and _Mythological Creatures of Ireland._

We saved the best shop for last, of course. It was late afternoon when we finally entered Areal's Apothecary. The witch at the coutner was young- in her mid-twenties maybe. She was dressed in all-black Muggle clothes. She had black hair and bright blue eyes that scanned disinterestedly the pages of some magazine. She had multiple piercings and tattoos.

While Olivia looked around at all the unusual ingredients, I gathered the things we would need to prepare the Wolfsbane. She asked a lot of good questions that I didn't know the answers to but wouldn't admit it. Gradually, the witch behind the counter took an interest in her and walked over to where Olivia stood. The two quickly made friends. The girl's name was Athena and her mother owned the Apothecary but she was on vacation.

"So I'm stuck here alone," Athena said, rolling her eyes. "It's very boring. And always the same people…until now. You two aren't from around here, are you?"

Olivia looked at me and I shrugged.

"Our family owns a farm a few miles away. We're on vacation," she told her friend.

"That's cool. I wish _I _could go on vacation," Athena siad with a sigh. "…Hey, if you two need a place to stay the night there's a little inn right outside of town. My boyfried is the owner's son. I work there sometimes, too, when I'm not stuck in this lump."

"But this place is amazing," Olivia protested. "And you know all about the ingredients and everything."

"Eh. I've had it drilled into my head since I was a baby," Athena siad dismissively. "I think I was _born_ knowing some of this stuff."

**Olivia's POV**

It was dark out when we left the Apothecary. I'd spent most of the time talking to Athena. Snape had managed to keep himself interested in the different potions ingredients and kept thumbing through one of the books he'd gotten to check recipes.

We stood ouside the Apothecary in silence, looking at the street around us. A few witches and wizards still walked down the streets but most everyone had gone inside. Owners were putting 'closed' signs in shop windows. Lights still winkled in taverns and restaurants. Laughter and music came from inside one called _The Selkies Den. _

I looked at Snape and saw he was looking at me, waiting for me to decide what to do. He had followed me all day, patient and compliant. This was a new attitude for him. I decided I liked this side of him.

"I don't _particularly _want to fly back to the farm _tonight_…do you?" I asked.

"Not in the least. …Do you want to go to the place your friend suggested?"

"You were actually listening?"

"Of course."

"Huh. Yeah we can go there, but let's get something to eat first. I'm starved."

"Right. Do you want to go in there?" he asked, nodding to _the Selkie's Den_.

"No, I was thinking we could go someplace quieter. Let's walk down this way, I think I recall passing a place."

"Okay."

"You know, I could get used to this," Is aid as we walked together down the sidewalk.

"What?" he asked with a small smile.

"You, doing everything I say."

He scowled.

"I do not do everything you say," he scoffed.

"Today you have been."

"Well-" he said and stopped, obviously unable to think of anything to say.

I smiled fondly and took his hand in mine.

The place we ate dinner was a quiet little pub. A few couples, some old, some young, sat in booths, talking quietly amongst themselves. Snape and I sat in a booth in the back, almost hidden in the shadows. When the waitress came to take our order, I boldly ordered a glass of elf wine with my meal from a significantly extensive list of alcoholic beverages on the back of the menu. Snape looked at me but said nothing. When he ordered, he asked for a glass of wine as well.

"You're a student," he said lightly. "You can't drink wine."

"I'm of age. Besides- we're not in school now, are we?" I asked with a little smile. "Obviously it's okay, or you wouldn't have let me order it."

The waitress brought us the wine before our food was ready. I began to sip it slowly.

"…Did you see what the Apothecary had?" I asked after a moment.

"They had many things, Olivia," he said with a faint smile.

"I mean the honeysuckle."

"…Of course. I bought some, didn't I?"

"Did you know that it was used in potions?"

"I had never heard it before, no."

"Athena confirmed that it has been used to ease fatigue and nausea."

"I was listening. …If she's right about the Wolfsbane, it'll be a medical breakthrough."

We both knew 'she' didn't mean Athena. It meant Lily.

"…She always did have good instincts when it came to potions…" he said after a moment, "Better than me."

"She told me I had good instincts," I said softly.

"You do have very good instincts," he said, looking into my eyes for the first time since I'd brought up the honeysuckle and the memory of Lily.

At that moment the waitress brought our food and the conversation shifted to lighter topics. We talked about the food. We talked about how stereotypical it was for an Irish pub to have so many types of alcohol. We drank a lot and when we left I was feeling tipsy. Luckily Snape had sense enough to ask the waitress for directions to the inn. I leaned against him for support and he put his arm around me as we walked down the street.

My brain felt pleasantly fuzzy. I didn't even care that the woman at the front desk was shooting us dirty looks when Snape checked us into the inn for the night.

"She thinks the worst of us," Snape said as he helped me up the stairs. "Everyone disapproves of our relationship."

"Man, fuck her," I slurred.

"Olivia, hush," Snape said, sounding surprised, but he was smiling.

"You know you love it," I said, leaning unsteadily against the wall while Snape unlocked the door to the room.

The room was very simple. Two beds, a lamp on the bedside table, a small table with two chairs and a dresser. I stumbled over to the bed and flopped down.

"Olivia, you can't go to sleep. We have to start the Wolfsbane tonight," Snape said.

"We can't transport it back to the ranch, can we?" I asked without opening my eyes.

"We can. Come on, up," he said, pulling me to my feet.

Snape had good tolerance, apparently. Lucky for me, because I couldn't even remember the steps for the Wolfsbane. I sat at the table and did whatever Snape told me. I sliced, grounded and chopped. Finally Snape took the knife away from me.

"Go lay down. You are mutilating those valerian roots," he said, pulling me to my feet.

"I'm fine, I can help," I insisted.

"It's okay. It's almost done anyway."

He looked down at me and I stood on my tiptoes to kiss him. He put his arms around me and I put my hand on his belt.

"No," he said, leading me over to the bed and laying me down. "Potion comes first."

I chuckled.

"You'll cum first," I said. He shook his head and walked back over to the cauldron.

I watched him in silence. I wasn't tired anymore. I just watched him until the potion was done for the night. It was past midnight. I sat up and motioned for him to come over to the bed. He knelt and kissed me.

"I intend to keep my word," I said when we stopped to catch our breath.

"What's that?"

"You'll cum first," I murmured.

"Ha. We'll see about that."

We kissed some more and I moved so that I straddled him.

"Lay down," I ordered, and he did what I said, like he had done all day. I smiled to myself- I was going to have fun with this newfound power over him.

Less than fifteen minutes later, I was on top of him, riding his throbbing cock. We were making no effort to be quiet. He was moaning and groaning, trying desperately not to cum. I was screaming for him to do the opposite.

"Fuck me, Severus. Cum for me. Cum inside of me, just do it!"

Finally he let go and exploded inside of me. With a final moan I came as well, riding him until we were both spent, then collapsing on the bed bedside him.

"Told you so," I said with a smirk once I had caught my breath.

He said nothing but kissed me again and put his arms around me.

**Snape's POV**

I really didn't want to leave Cian the next morning and I could tell Olivia didn't want to either. Neither of us said anything aloud, however, because we both knew we needed to be somewhere stable to work on the Wolfsbane, which currently sat in the middle of the flying carpet, a stasis spell on it to keep it from sloshing. We were experimenting with the potion, something that was potentially disastrous. We had only the word of…Olivia's freaky spiritual encounter. I shook this thought form my mind and focused on something else- Lupin. If it weren't for him, we wouldn't need the Wolfsbane and wouldn't have to leave Cian.

"To be fair," Olivia said aloud. "We wouldn't have come to Cian if it weren't for Lupin."

She had her mind linked with mine as we flew through the blue sky, above the clouds.

"I think you're getting a little too comfortable in my head," I said, employing my Occlumency.

"You didn't even notice, did you?" she said, grinning and sounding pleased with herself.

I scoffed by what she said unnerved me. I had never let my guard down with anyone else like that before. Sure I knew I could trust Olivia and I loved her…but there were things in my head she didn't need to see or hear…for her own good. Things from my Death Eater days. Things concerning the Dark Lord.

It was late morning when we reached the borders of the farm and touched down.

"We should hide the cauldron, then move it into the old stable later tonight," Olivia said. I nodded my head in agreement. Some of the workers were Muggles, after all.

We hid the cauldron in a clump of trees and cast several enchantments so no one would stumble upon it. We walked towards the house together. As we approached we could see workers in the fields, picking vegetables and pulling weeds. Among the workers pulling weeds was Lupin and he had no shirt on. I glanced indiscreetly at Olivia to judge her reaction and was pleased to see she wasn't looking at him at all.

Ms. Hudson greeted us at the door and was more than ready to accept our excuse of being too tired to fly home.

"You made it home just in time for lunch, dears. Oh and Severus, an owl came for you this morning," Ms. Hudson said, bustling us into the house.

"An owl?" I repeated.

"Yes. I put the letter upstairs in your room. Olivia, dear, would you ring the lunch bell for me?" she asked her. Olivia looked at me questioningly as I started up the stairs.

"Go on. I'll be right down," I assured her.

I went upstairs and found the letter lying on the pillow on the freshly-made bed. The handwriting on the front was only too familiar. As I read it, my heart dropped like a stone.

I made my way back downstairs after stowing the letter away in my pocket. Most everyone was already seated at the table, eating lunch, including Lupin who was talking quietly with Ms. Hudson. He said Hello to me as I passed by on my way to sit beside Olivia. I ignored him, of course.

"What's wrong?" Olivia asked as I sat down and began to fix myself a plate.

"How do you know that anything is the matter?"

"I know you, Severus. Besides, you didn't deny it."

I sighed.

"I have to leave. Lucius needs my help on an assignment."

"What? But Severus- we're on vacation," she protested.

"I know. I'm sorry…but it's just for tonight. I'll be back in the morning."

She continued to look at me with her sad emerald eyes.

"I'm sorry," I said again. "If it were anyone but the Dark Lord…"

"…It's fine," she said. "…but what about the Wolfsbane?"

"You'll have to handle it on your own, I'm afraid."

"Brilliant," she said somewhat bitterly. "And how are you getting there and back?"

"Apparition. I'll do it in steps."

"Isn't that dangerous?"

"Not as dangerous as what I have to do," I said without thinking.

She stared at me silently.

"I'm not even going to ask," she said finally. "I know you won't tell me. …When do you have to leave?"

"Right after lunch would be best."

"Right. I'll walk you out…"

We ate in silence, taking our time. I went upstairs and gathered some things I might need. I left Olivia most of the potions ingredients as well as the magic carpet. Then she followed me outside to behind one of the barns.

"I'll see you in the morning, I guess," she said quietly. I put my arms around her and kissed her forehead.

"You can have fun without me. You can ride a horse or play with chickens or something. Just be safe," I said, still holding her.

"_You _be safe," she said. "…I love you."

"I love you, too," I murmured and kissed her. Then I stepped away from her- and Disapparated.


	40. Year 7 Chapter 6

-1**Olivia's POV**

When Snape was gone I let out a sigh. I didn't particularly want to be left here by myself. I decided to do as he suggested and headed for the stables to go for a ride. I pushed open the door to the stables and made my way to Moonstar's stall to say hello to her. I nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw Lupin laying in the hay inside her stall.

"What are you doing?" I demanded ruefully, trying to act as if he hadn't just scared the crap out of me.

"Taking a break," he said with his stupid wolfish grin. "You?"

"I came to see _my _horse. And you shouldn't be in her stall! She's close to birthing and shouldn't be around strangers," I snapped.

"All animals love me. Look- does she look fazed to you?" he pointed out. I hated to admit he was right- Moonstar didn't look upset at all. If anything she was calmer than usual.

"Where's Severus?" Lupin asked casually when I didn't say anything.

"…He had to go do something, not that it's any of your business."

"Thought you guys were on vacation? …Was it work for Albus or the Dark Lord."

"Like I said, it's not your business," I said, leaving Moonstar's stall.

"You don't know what he's off doing, do you? I wouldn't expect him to tell you. He's not a very trusting person," he said skeptically.

"Severus trusts me!" I flared. "And I do know. I know more than you do anyway!"

"Why do you hate me, Olivia?" Lupin asked.

"You know very well why."

"I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you."

"I was a child! I was young and in love. …It was wrong and you know it!"

"You knew what you were doing," he scoffed. "You said so yourself, that you didn't expect anything form me."

"I was an idiot. I was just a kid. What's your excuse?"

"Olivia…even if I did… I'm not saying I didn't care for you. I still care about you. I worry about you, all the time. But I can't love you the way you wanted me to. It would never have worked out. I'm a werewolf."

"And I'm an Animagus who can also brew the Wolfsbane! It would have worked out just fine."

"It doesn't matter now anyway, does it? You love Severus."

"You're damned right," I said, crossing my arms.

"I can only say I'm sorry so many times," he said.

"Say it again anyway."

"I'm sorry," he said with a sigh.

"Well…good," I muttered.

I walked over to Titri's stall without looking back at Lupin. I hadn't been near the unbroken horse since the night Lily had tamed her. I was curious to see if she was still calm. I leaned over the door to the stall and clicked my tongue at her. The horse pricked up her ears and trotted over to me. She nuzzled my hand.

"Hey, I thought she was wild?" Lupin said, coming up behind me.

"Hmph- what can I say? Animals love me."

I opened the gate and slipped inside the stall.

"Uh, what are you doing?" Lupin asked.

"Shut up and get me a saddle."

He blinked twice, as if uncertain as to what to do, then he went and retrieved a saddle for me.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked, handing me the saddle over the stall door. I scoffed at him and turned to Titri. She eyed the saddle nervously and I put one hand on her neck to calm her down.

I placed the saddle on Titri's back carefully. She didn't stir. I fastened the saddle, took hold of the reigns and led her out of the stall. Lupin tried to touch the horse's velvety nose, but she whinnied and nipped at him. Lupin jumped back and I laughed.

"Don't touch my horse," I said.

"Trust me, I won't."

I put one foot in the stirrups and slung myself onto her back. Titri trotted nervously but I quieted her down.

"Shh…Come on, girl," I said, urging her forward. She responded well and within minutes, had it figured out.

"Well. I'm impressed," Lupin said, following me put of the stable.

"Don't care," I said, and urging Titri into a gallop, headed off down a trail.

I stayed out until it was almost dark. That's when I remembered about the Wolfsbane Potion. It was still hidden in the woods and needed to be moved to the old barn so I could work on it. I took Titri back to her stall. Don was there checking on Moonstar and he shook his head in amazement.

"I can't believe it. You tamed the horse," he said, patting her neck as I removed the saddle. "It must be magic."

"Or some kind of supernatural bond," I said lightly. He laughed, but I was serious.

"You don't know where Lupin is, do you?" I asked casually.

"Remus? Haven't seen him since lunchtime. He may have gone for a walk or something. …He's a damned good worker. He can do the work of three men. I sure will miss him when he's gone."

"What makes you think he'll leave?"

"His kind never stay long."

"Hm. …How is Moonstar doing?" I asked, patting the horse's neck.

"She should have her foal any day now. She has to be watched closely. I'm planning on staying in here tonight to keep an eye on her. It's her first foal."

"I have to stay up tonight and work on the Wolfsbane Potion. If you moved her into the old barn, I could keep an eye on her and wake you if anything happens."

"If you're sure it's no trouble…" Don said.

"None at all. It'll be better than spending the night brewing the potion alone."

"What happened to Snape?"

"He had to go home. Something came up. But he'll be back in the morning."

I left the barn and went inside to wash up. Everyone had already eaten but Ms. Hudson had saved me some stew and she insisted I have something to eat. She sat down with me to drink a cup of coffee.

"Are you sure you can control Remus if the potion fails?" she asked me. "He is such a sweet dear, but…"

"I've done it before," I assured her. "You have nothing to worry about. But if it makes you feel better, I'm sure he will consent to staying in the cellar until we are certain it works."

"Are you sure he won't be offended?"

"Of course not. It's not as if he _wants _to hurt anyone… Where is he, anyway?"

"I haven't seen him since lunch. I thought he was out for a ride with you?"

"No… Don said he thought he went for a walk on his own."

"He seems so sad. Sweet, but sad."

I shrugged uncomfortably. What did I care if Lupin was sad? Why should I care? …Because he cared when I was sad. He'd comforted me when my mother died. He always seemed to know when I was upset. Maybe I had been unfair towards him. After all, I was happy _now_. I had Severus and we loved each other. Lupin and I should be able to be friends. I sighed.

"…I'm going to go look for him. I could use his help tonight with the potion," I said, pushing away my barely-touched bowl of stew and standing up. She beamed at me and moved to clean up my bowl.

"I'll do it," I insisted, going to throw it in the trash.

"Don't waste it dear, take it out back to the cats," she said. I put my spoon in the sink and headed out the back door. An old orange tomcat was waiting at the door. He began to purr loudly as I put the stew down. I closed the door behind me and started down towards the cornfield. The sun had slipped below the horizon now and the moon was starting to come up. The summer air was hot and heavy. When I reached the cornfield I made sure no one was around then morphed into my Animagus form to aid in my search for Lupin. I caught his scent immediately and followed it- slowly, so as not to appear rushed- down towards the river.

I passed Thomas and his girlfriend coming up the path. I'd heard them coming and slipped into the underbrush so I wouldn't startle them. They passed by, completely oblivious, holding hands and giggling. I let out a small sigh, feeling old for my age.

I continued down the path once they were out of sight. When I reached the river I immediately spotted Lupin. He was sitting on a log beside the water. He had his shoes and socks off and was letting his feet trail in the water. I morphed back into human and walked over to him. He didn't even glance up at me when I saw down beside him on the log. He was staring at the water, a slight frown on his face.

"…Are you okay?" I asked after a minute.

He nodded briefly and glanced at me.

"What are you doing?" he inquired.

"Well I was going to work on the Wolfsbane and…I could use some help."

"You want me to help?"

I shrugged, looking at the flowing water.

"I'll help…but I'm absolutely dreadful at Potions," he said somewhat cheerfully.

"You just have to do what I tell you to."

"I can do that."

He pulled his feet out of the water and put his socks and shoes back on. When he had them on I stood and led him back to where Snape and I had hidden the potion that morning.

"Help me levitate it to the old barn," I instructed when we found the cauldron.

"Which old barn? There's like a hundred of them. Or at least five."

I had to suppress a smile.

"The one I lead us to, that's which one. …There used to be a lot more horses. And cows, too."

"Did you come here a lot when you were little?" he asked conversationally as we levitated the cauldron into the air.

"A few times. We would come and stay for a few weeks. I learned a lot here. How to milk cows, ride horses. How to take care of all sorts of animals…" I said. "…You seem to have a natural hand at farm work. At least, that's what Don says. Have you worked on a farm before?"

"…There was a man who owned a few cows and horses not far from where I lived as a child. He let me muck out stalls in exchange for riding lessons," he said with a brief smile. "…I ate one of his cows one night when it was the full moon."

"Did he know?" I inquired.

"Of course not. He was just an old Muggle man. He figured Annabel wandered off."

"The cow had a name? How sad! And horrible."

"I couldn't help it. The Wolfsbane hadn't been invented then."

"I know but still…"

"It was rather horrible," he agreed. "…At least it wasn't one of the horses."

"That reminds me- Ms. Hudson wants you to stay in the cellar until we know for sure if the potion works on the night of the full moon."

"Oh of course. I was planning on doing that anyway."

We reached the barn and I opened the door. We levitated the cauldron inside.

"Hey- it's the pregnant horse," Lupin said, looking over at one of the stalls where Moonstar was standing.

"I asked Don to move her so I could keep an eye on her tonight. She could have her foal at any time."

Interested, Lupin walked over and patted the mare's muzzle while I set the cauldron up in the stall next to Moonstar's.

Lupin was right- he was absolutely terrible at potions. I had to go back and re-do several of the things I told him to do and I wouldn't let him stir anything at all for fear that he would mess up and the whole potion would become useless. I didn't mind so much though. He kept me company and gave me someone to talk to while I worked. We talked about horses and unicorns and the difference between the two. I told him about the things I'd done when I was younger, our trips to the farm. The conversation kept us going late into the night, even after I was finished with the potion.

"So what made you decide not to hate me anymore?" he asked finally. He was sitting in a chair in the stall where the potion was and I was sitting on the ground, looking into the flickering flames beneath the cauldron.

"I didn't _hate _you," I mumbled. "…I realized that it was stupid, being mad. I have Severus now and nothing could make me happier. …You and I, we used to be friends…_are _friends…aren't we?"

"Of course," he replied and he smiled, a real smile that I hadn't seen in ages.

**Snape's POV**

It was late when I finally made it back to the farm- or early, depending on how you looked at it. It was nearing 3 a.m. and I was exhausted. I didn't even want to think about wheat I had been doing. The Dark Lord had been consorting with Dementors- I shuddered- and being the only Death Eater who could perform the Patronus Charm if it was required, my presence had been a necessity.

And He had asked about her, which to me was a thought worse than dementors. That Olivia even passed through the mind of the Dark Lord made my stomach hurt.

"How is the girl enjoying her time abroad?" the Dark Lord had asked as we traveled by broom to Azkaban. Beside me on his broomstick, Lucius smirked.

"Well enough, I suppose," I said indifferently.

"Does she know that you are traveling in search of giants?"

"Yes," I said. I had almost forgotten my lie to him.

"And does she know where you are now?"

"She knows I come to serve you, my lord."

"And what of her? Where do her loyalties lie?" he inquired. "Would she join me if the time came?"

My heart jumped into my throat, threatening to choke me. I swallowed before answering.

"In an instant, my lord. But she is still a child. She has not yet been trained well enough to serve you, my lord."

"Then you must train her," he said firmly. "…She must have some talent, Severus. She is your cousin after all."

"She's very skilled with potions."

"Does that include poisons?" he asked.

"…Of course."

"Good… You will train her, Severus. Teach her the Dark Arts. Then perhaps in a year or two she will be of some use to me."

I had been relieved to hear him say a year or two and tried to hide it.

"Yes my lord," I had said rather disinterestedly and the conversation had shifted to something else.

I thought of this as I walked towards the barn, thinking Olivia may still be out there and if not I would check on the Wolfsbane then go inside. I would have to tell her though…what the Dark Lord intended…but not tonight. Tomorrow would be soon enough.

I pushed open the door of the barn, which had been left open a crack, and was surprised to see the white mare in one of the stalls. She was leaning against one side of the stall, dozing. I smiled to myself. Olivia had brought the horse to keep her company.

There was a faint glow coming from the stall next to the horse and I started towards it, but froze when I reached Moonstar's stall when I noticed someone in there who was definitely not Olivia. It was Lupin, curled up asleep on some hay inside the horse's stall. I scoffed quietly and peered into the next stall where the potion was simmering. Olivia was stretched out asleep on a pile of hay covered with a blanket. The flickering flames caused shadows to dance across her lake face. A strand of her red hair had fallen across her forehead. I felt my heart soften just looking at her.

I made my way into the stall and knelt down to kiss her forehead. Her eyelids fluttered open and she looked up at me with sparkling green eyes.

"You're back," she murmured sleepily. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Are you?"

"Mm-hm."

"Do you know Lupin is in the next stall asleep?"

"Nothing happened," she said quickly.

"I know it didn't," I assured her. "Are you going to sleep out here?"

"I already am, aren't I?" she said, brushing the hair out of her face drowsily. I chuckled quietly and lay down beside her, putting one arm around her and kissing her neck.

I was sure she was already asleep again but as exhausted as I was, I wasn't sleepy. Something about the bed of straw, the dim flickering firelight, the thought that Lupin was less that 10 feet away and could hear us…

"Severus, you're hard," she whispered.

"Sorry," I whispered back.

"Don't be," she said, sounding amused. "You want to do it here?"

"Only if you want to…"

She laughed softly and rolled over to face me. She kissed me, letting one hand wander down.

"This could be fun," she murmured.

I made no effort to keep Olivia quiet as we made love on the hay and at one point I was certain I heard Lupin stir in the stall next to us but I didn't care. If anything it made me thrust with renewed vigor, causing Olivia to moan louder. When we were both spent we collapsed into the hay.

"Wow…" Olivia breathed.

"Yeah," I said. "Wow."

She smiled and nestled against me. She was asleep within minutes. From the stall next to us I heard a quiet sigh and for a moment I felt something akin to guilt or pity. Then I shook my head, put my arms around Olivia, and fell into a deep sleep.

I awoke before noon that day when Olivia disentangled herself from me to stand up and stretch. I sat up groggily, acutely aware of the fact that my back hurt from sleeping outside. _I'm getting too old for this, _I thought to myself, stretching in an attempt to alleviate the pain. I watched as Olivia peered over into the next stall.

"He's gone," she said, looking back down at me.

"Probably working," I said with a shrug.

"Yeah…"

I stood and stretched. I walked over to where Olivia stood, patting Moonstar's nose.

"You have hay in your hair," I murmured, kissing her neck. She smiled as I began to pick the pieces of hay from her silky red hair.

"So what…what did you have to do yesterday?" Olivia asked, turning to look at me. I sighed and continued to pick the straw from her hair.

"I don't…really want to talk about it, Olivia," I said, not looking her in the eye.

"Is it…because you don't trust me?" she asked.

"Olivia, that's ridiculous. You know I trust you… I love you."

"I know," she said, looking away.

"What brought this on?"

"…Just something someone said."

"Was it Lupin? I knew it was no good for the two of you to hang out."

"Severus…it's fine. Don't worry about it. Forget I asked."

"Right," I said, letting my hand fall. I had just remembered what the Dark Lord had told me yesterday.

"We need to talk," I said heavily.

"Severus, I told you nothing happened-" she began.

"No, no, it's nothing to do with Lupin. I… We can talk about it later. I'm going to go inside and take a shower, okay?"

"Okay," she said, looking somewhat confused. "…Are you sure you're okay?"

"Fine," I said with a sigh. "I'm fine. I just have to think about some things. I'll come and find you after I shower."

**Olivia's POV**

I watched Snape slip out of the barn, wondering why he was acting so strange. I spent a few more minutes with Moonstar, then left the barn.

"Hey Livvy!" someone called as soon as I stepped out into the sunlight. I looked around to see Thomas and his girlfriend Cassie walking towards me.

"Where've you been all day?" Thomas asked. "You missed breakfast."

"I was…working on something. What's up?"

"Matt got in this morning."

"Oh, I almost forgot he was coming. Where is he?"

"Helping Don. Hey, you wanna go fishing with us this afternoon?" he asked.

"Uh, I really can't. Severus just got back and we have plans."

"Oh, that's cool. Cassie said she'd bring her friend to meet Matt, right?"

"Yeah," she said, nodding her head enthusiastically.

"Cool. You guys have fun- I've gotta go inside," I said.

"See you later, Livvy."

I went into the house and made my way upstairs to the room that was mine. I could hear the shower running in the bathroom and was more than tempted to slip inside- I really did need a shower- but figured Snape needed his space. To think or whatever. So I just changed clothes and brushed my hair, picking a few stray pieces of straw from my hair. Then I went into Snape's room to wait for him.

Snape came into his room five minutes later. He didn't seem surprised to find me laying on his bed.

"Are we going to talk now?" I asked, looking at him upside down. He sighed and started to say something, then the lunch bell rang from downstairs.

"After lunch," he said quickly. I let out a snort of laughter and rolled off the bed.

"Hope I don't die of curiosity before then," I said, following him down the stairs.

I watched Snape discreetly throughout lunch. He picked at his food and didn't eat at all. He kept staring off into nothing. Matt came and sat across from me and engaged me in conversation. He asked me how things were going and I have him minimally responsive answers. Snape didn't even seem at all interested in the fact that Matt was trying to flirt with me.

Finally, I pushed my plate away and took Snape's hand beneath the table. He looked over at me.

"Let's go for a walk," I said softly. He sighed and inclined his head.

Snape and I left the house and started down the path that led to the river. I laced my fingers with his but he looked away.

"What's wrong, Severus? What's got you so mopey?" I asked.

"I guess I have to tell you. …Last night, when I was working… Well, He asked about you."

I felt my face pale slightly.

"The Dark Lord?" I asked, trying to keep the anxiety out of my voice. He nodded.

"He wants me to train you…train you to be a Death Eater," he said quickly.

I was silent a while as we walked along the path, thinking to myself.

"Normally I would have gone straight to Dumbledore…ask him what I should do, but…considering he turn our relationship has taken…I thought you deserved to know first, so-"

"I'll do it," I said confidently- a lot more confidently than I actually felt.

"What?"

"I can do it. I am a Slytherin, after all. I can do what you do."

"I…Are you sure? It's dangerous…very dangerous…"

"You don't want me to do it, do you?"

"Of course not! I don't want to risk you getting hurt, but… I haven't really got a choice. The Dark Lord kills those who don't comply."

"I'm not scared," I said, which we both knew was a lie. "…but let's see what Dumbledore says."

"Right. You know, He actually said he wouldn't be interested in you until you were done with school. So we've got a year at least."

"And who knows, this could all be over by then. The Dark Lord could be dead."

"We could only be so lucky," he said.


	41. Year 7 Chapter 7

**Author's Note: **Hey guys, thanks for the reviews! I know this next part is gonna be totally random, I have no idea where it came from. Also, for the record, I know almost nothing about horses, except what I've read in books and online. So if I'm not always right, well, no one is right all the time. Read and review, guys!

~LilReporterGirl

Snape and I went out to the old barn that evening to work on the potion. Moonstar was still in the stall next to us but she was lying down.

"Should she be lying down?" Snape asked curiously. "Don't horses usually sleep standing up?"

"Not always. She's fine," I assured him.

"She's very fat," he observed. "I'm surprised she even _can _stand."

"She's very _pregnant_, Severus. There's a difference."

"Mm," he said and turned back to the cauldron.

It was around midnight when we first began to hear the quiet groans from the next stall. Snape walked over and peered into the tall.

"Uh, Olivia? I think the horse peed," he said, frowning. I walked over as well.

"That's… not pee- her water just broke," I said excitedly, fighting to keep my voice quiet.

"Oh. Eww… Uh, what do we do? Should we wake Don?" he asked, rather panicky.

"Only if there are complications. We shouldn't have to do anything. Horses usually give birth just fine on their own, without human intervention."

"Usually?"

"Relax, Severus," I said with a smile. "Just watch."

We both leaned against the wall separating the stalls and watched. Moonstar didn't seem to notice us- she was more focused on the contractions rippling through her body. She began to strain and push and before long the foal's feet emerged, then its head. I spared a moment to glance at Snape who was both transfixed and disgusted. I chuckled quietly then looked on as the mare pushed the foal the rest of the way out.

His coat was damp at first and he appeared almost black, but as Moonstar licked him dry he became a beautiful grey color with a white streak on his forehead. I went into the stall then and patted Moonstar's head, speaking softly to her and telling her what a good girl she was. Then I reached down and stroked the foal who was impossibly soft. After a few minutes he unfolded his legs and got unsteadily to his feet. He stood a moment, wobbling, then collapsed. I heard a soft laugh and looked up at Snape who was still leaning over the wall, watching the foal with a softness in his black eyes. I smiled and turned back to the baby. Moonstar had gotten up now.

"Come on little one," I said to the foal. "You've got to try again."

His ears pricked up at the sound of my voice. Moonstar nickered quietly to him. He unfolded his legs again, stood up, and took his first steps to his mother's side, where he proceeded to drink.

"Aww," I said, feeling my heart melt.

"Uh, Olivia- there's something else coming out of that horse," Snape said. "Is it another one?"

I looked up quickly.

"No Severus. That's afterbirth," I said as Moonstar pushed it out onto the hay.

"That's absolutely disgusting," Snape declared.

"You act like you've never seen anything being born before."

"I've not," he said.

"Really? Not even a dog or a cat?"

He shook his head.

"Do you want to touch the baby horse?" I asked.

"Uh…no. I'm fine here. Really."

"Oh come on," Is aid pleadingly.

"What about the mother horse? Won't it upset her?"

"She's fine. Come on."

He hesitated, then entered the stall. He knelt beside me in the straw and reached out with one trembling hand to stroke the foal.

"I am so vastly out of my element here," he said, his voice low and quavering. I chuckled quietly and kissed him.

"Come," I said, standing up and pulling out my wand. "Help me clean up this goop."

Together we cleaned out the stall and brought in some fresh hay. I made sure the horses were comfortable, then we went back to check on the Wolfsbane.

"Are we going to sleep out here again?" Snape asked.

"If you don't mind… I'd like to stay close to the foal."

"Fine by me. I'm happy wherever you are."

I smiled and kissed him again.

We lay down on the hay and he put an arm around me, linking his fingers with mine.

"Will you get to name the little horse?" he asked me.

"I'm sure Don will let me."

"What will you name it- is it a boy or a girl?"

"A boy," I said, smiling. "I'm not sure what I will name him. I have to think about it."

He nodded silently and kissed the crook of my neck.

"Goodnight Olivia," he murmured, his breath warm on my skin.

"Goodnight my love."

**Snape's POV**

Olivia ended up naming the little horse Finn and for the next few nights we slept in the born so we could brew the Wolfsbane Potion and so Olivia could be near the little horse.

One evening while I was working on the potion and Olivia was talking softly to Finn, the door to the barn opened. Olivia stood up, alert.

"Hey kiddo," Don said to Olivia. "Some of the workers are having a bonfire down by the woods. You should come."

"Perhaps," she told him with a smile. "We have to work on the potion."

"Ah," Don said with a nod and left the barn.

"You should go," I said, trying to sound indifferent as I stirred the potion. "Have some fun."

"Not without you," she said. "Then it wouldn't _be _fun. We can finish up the Wolfsbane and we can both go."

I said nothing, not wanting to tell her that I didn't particularly want to go. Hell, if she wanted me to go, I would go. She came back into the stall and helped me finish up the Wolfsbane for the night.

"Come on Severus," she said, taking my hand and leading me out the door. "It will be fun."

As we walked past the cornfield we could see the glow ahead from the bonfire and hear the faint sound of music. As we approached the bonfire I could see there were dozens of people out there- some dancing, others sitting around watching and talking. They all seemed to be having a good time. The music was Muggle music, coming from a wireless stereo. Most of it was music I had never heard.

Olivia went around and talked to some of her friends. I trailed behind silently. After a while a song came on that made Olivia perk up.

"Ooh I love this song. Dance with me, Severus."

"No."

"Why not?" she pleaded.

"Because. I don't know how to dance like that," I said stiffly.

"It's easy," she insisted. "You don't even have to know. You just move."

Somehow she pulled me to the edge of the crowd, where it was darker, and we began to dance. It was awkward at first, but got easier as I relaxed and actually listened to the song. It was called "Magic Carpet Ride" and Olivia told me alter it was by the Steve Miller Band.

When the song was over we collapsed in the grass.

"That was fun," I said breathlessly. "I'm thirsty."

"Me too. I'll be right back," Olivia said, getting up. I watched as she disappeared into the crowd. She returned a moment later with two cold beers. She handed one to me, opened the other and took a sip. She swallowed and made a face.

"That's disgusting," she said. "Must be an Irish thing."

I smiled and sipped my own beer.

"At least it's cold," she said, taking another sip.

We sat there in silence a while, watching the others dancing. Then from amongst the crowd, Lupin came up to us. He sat down on the grass in front of us, a beer in his hand.

"Hello Severus. Olivia," he said, nodding to us both.

"Remus," I said without emotion. I didn't feel like being angry and hostile tonight. True I did not like Lupin…but he was a right sigh better than Black or Potter…or Wormtail, who was currently in the service of the Dark Lord.

"The full moon is tomorrow night," he said, tilting his head back to look at the sky. "Will the potion be ready?"

"Of course," Olivia said. "You and I will go down to the cellar before the moon rises. You will take the last of the Wolfsbane. Severus will lock us in and I will transform into my Animagus form, until I am sure the potion has worked. When I am sure, I will let Severus know and he will let us out."

"And I can go into the woods?" Lupin asked. "I wouldn't want to frighten anyone…"

"_We _will go into the woods," Olivia told him. "I will go with you, to make sure nothing bad happens."

I stared past them, pretending I didn't care.

"You know this new Wolfsbane doesn't make me feel as ill as the other did," he said to her.

"It's because of the honeysuckle," she said.

They walked for another few minutes, then Lupin got up and left, saying he was going to find someone. When he was gone, we sat in silence a moment. Then Olivia sighed quietly and moved closer to me so she could lay her head on my shoulder. She continued to sip her beer though she grimaced in disgust every time.

Two beers later a familiar song began to play. I stiffened slightly as Desperado began to play, then relaxed a little as I remembered dancing with her for the first time at the Yule Ball.

"What is it about this song?" she asked me, midway through the song.

"…It was my parents' song," I said quietly.

"Oh," she said and didn't push the matter. She was still leaning her head against my shoulder. She began to sing along quietly. I just listened, thinking to myself that, in a way, it was our song too.

Olivia and I stayed out long after everyone else had retired. We moved close to the fire, which soon became nothing but smoldering embers. We talked a little, but for the most part just sat, enjoying each others' company and the lack of secrecy and responsibility.

When the wee hours of the morning found us, Olivia was laying her head in my lap, her green eyes half closed. I was running my fingers through her silky red hair when I heard the first signs of morning life stirring on the farm.

"Come on," I said quietly to Olivia. "Let's go inside."

**Olivia's POV**

Snape and I slept most of the day away, waking in the late afternoon to check on the Wolfsbane and give Lupin the final dose. He was already in the barn when we got there, sitting on the hay and staring morosely at the simmering cauldron.

"You okay, Remus?" I asked him. He jumped slightly, startled.

"Yeah, fine," he said with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. Snape scoffed and walked over to the cauldron to add the last bit of wolfsbane.

It soon got dark outside and the three of us made our way to the cellar before the moon could rise. I hadn't been to the cellar since I was a kid. It was a storm-proof shelter with an iron door, perfect for keeping a werewolf in, should the potion not work. There were shelves lined with jars and cans of food.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Snape asked me quietly as Lupin went into the cellar and plopped down in a corner.

"I'll be fine, Severus," I said with a small smile.

He glanced past me at Lupin, then pulled me to him possessively and kissed me.

"Ew," Lupin said behind me. Snape scowled and I stepped away, smiling at him. He shut the heavy iron door. I pulled out my wand and sealed the door while he sealed it from the other side.

It wasn't long before Lupin began to transform. I quickly turned into my animagus form as a precaution. When his transformation was complete, I studied Lupin carefully. His eyes were still human and sad-looking and his scent was mild, not full of anger and testosterone like it would be if he hadn't retained his human mind. I used Legilimency to check his mind, which was a little harder in my wolf form, and when I found it was still human, I projected my mind through the door to Snape, who was expecting me.

_He's fine_, I assured him, _open the door. _

I heard the door click and it swung open. I walked out, still in my wolf form. Snape stepped backwards, looking a little anxious. I grinned at him, showing my sharp, pointed teeth. I circled around him, rubbing his legs affectionately and he reached down to stroke my fur nervously. Lupin left the cellar on all fours and headed in the direction of the forest. I glanced up at Snape once more before hurrying after the werewolf.

It did not take us long to reach the forest, running quickly past the rows of corn, potatoes and other vegetables. We passed Don who was out for a walk. He waved to us, not looking at all unnerved to see a wolf and a werewolf running across the farm. I yipped cheerfully at him in greeting, but Lupin tucked his tail between his legs and lowered his head, making a whimpering sound that portrayed a sense of shame.

When we reached the trees we ran for many miles without stopping. The foliage was dappled with the light of the full moon shining through the leaves of the trees. I achieved a simple pleasure in running that I found I had been missing in the past year. Lupin seemed as if he were enjoying himself as well.

When we reached a wide river, Lupin didn't stop at all but ran full speed ahead and leapt into the water, splashing me. I didn't follow him, but slowed down and lay in the shallows. I watched Lupin swim, splashing water up into the air, the droplets sparkling silver in the moonlight.

After a while I grew tired of lying in the river. I stood and shook the water from my fur, then began to make my way along the river bank. Lupin swam closer to the shore and followed me. After a while, I spotted a glow in the thicket.

"What's that?" I said aloud, but it came out as a yip. Lupin seemed to get the message though, as he looked in the direction I was looking. We headed in the direction of the luminescent glow.

We stuck our heads through the thick bushes and saw a ring of mushrooms with glowing faeries. Their glittering, beetle-like wings shone in an array of colors, each of them different. We watched silently as they danced atop the mushrooms, some playing small wooden flutes. Lupin's tail thumped against my back as he unconsciously wagged it from side to side.

We lay down side by side, watching the faeries with our heads on our paws. All of a sudden, Lupin convulsed and began to turn back into a human. I transformed back so I could put my hand on his paw as his fur retracted and his clawed feet became hands.

He lay there a moment, gasping to catch his breath. The faeries had disappeared, along with their light, at the appearance of two humans in their grotto. I stood and pulled out my wand to give us some light.

"That was pretty amazing," I said of the faeries, helping Lupin to his feet.

"Not the weirdest thing I've ever seen in a forest, though."

"What's the weirdest thing you've ever seen?"

"A car that had run wild of its own accord in the Forbidden Forest."

"Oh that came form Potter and Weasley, that's no mystery."

"Freaked me out, though," he said with a grin.

Lupin was quiet as we walked back towards the farm and he seemed to be dragging his feet.

"What's wrong, Lupin?" I asked quietly.

This time he didn't deny there was anything the matter.

"I've just been feeling down lately… like I don't really belong anywhere. …A lonely feeling, I guess…but I deserve it."

"Being a werewolf doesn't make you a bad person, Remus," I said to him. "There are plenty of b ad people who are just human. You don't _want _to be a bad person, do you?"

He shook his head, not looking at me.

"You'll find somebody…someday. Someone that will make you feel better about yourself. You'll see…"

"No one wants to be with a monster like me…"

"You'd be surprised."

Lupin and I walked back form the forest in silence. As we reached the edge of the farm where the fence ran around the edge of the property, I spotted Snape waiting for us. He was leaning against the fence, a very serious look on his face.

"Remus I must speak with you immediately," Snape said as soon as we were within earshot.

"Severus nothing-" Lupin began.

"It's not about that," Snape interrupted quickly. "…Something has happened. Dumbledore needs us both, immediately."

The color drained from Lupin's face and he nodded curtly.

"Olivia, go get your things and be ready to leave," Snape said to me.

"Am I not to know what's going on, then?" I asked, affronted.

"Olivia- now," Snape said forcefully. I recoiled at his tone and looked to Lupin for support. He carefully avoided my gaze, looking at the ground. Hurt, and highly annoyed, I stalked towards the house.

I went upstairs quietly, into the room I shared with Snape, and began to throw things into my trunk. I thought about not packing Snape's things for him and letting him figure it out on his own. But I ended up doing it for him anyway, to save him time.

When I returned downstairs, our trunks floating behind me, Snape and Lupin were waiting for me just outside the door.

"What took so long?" Snape asked impatiently.

"I was packing your bloody trunk!" I snarled. "Next time I'll leave it behind for you to send for later."

Snape said nothing and Lupin looked away, as if he were pretending he wasn't there. Snape whipped out his wand and gave it a swift flick. Our trunks vanished, presumably sent back to Spinner's End.

"We'll have to do Side-Along Apparition. Can you help, Remus?" Snape asked. Lupin nodded swiftly.

"I can Apparate. I _did _pass the test," I snorted.

"Not this far," Snape said. "And now when you don't know where we're going."

"Where _are _we going?" I asked. He ignored me.

"We'll stop at the coast," Snape said to Lupin. "Then continue to Hogwarts. Albus will meet us there."

"Olivia, your hand, please," Lupin said quietly.

I gave him my left hand. He squeezed it reassuringly. Snape took my other hand rather forcefully. I started to say something, then the three of us were jolted forward.

It was the regular pain of Apparating, but this time it seemed more intense. I clung to Lupin's hand throughout the journey. When my feet hit the ground my stomach lurched and I promptly vomited onto the sand.

"Lovely," Snape said, stepping back. Lupin steadied me so I wouldn't fall and pulled my hair back out of my face so I wouldn't spew in it.

When I had finished emptying the contents of my stomach, Snape conjured up a glass of water and handed it to me without comment. If I hadn't wanted to get the taste out of my mouth so badly, I probably would have dumped the water on him.

Once I drank the water, the goblet vanished. Snape and Lupin took my hands again and, without warning, Disapparated.

When we appeared outside of the gates of Hogwarts, I felt as if I might puke again, but I had nothing left in my stomach. Snape immediately began walking up the path to the castle. I glanced up at Lupin.

"Come on," he said quietly and we started up the path, a few yards behind Snape. I didn't speak. As we got closer to the castle we spotted the headmaster coming down the path towards us. Lupin and I quickened our pace to catch up with Snape by the time he reached Dumbledore.

"Has he been expelled?" Snape asked immediately.

"No. I have persuaded the Ministry to suspend its decision, pending a formal hearing."

The headmaster looked even more weary and tired than the last time I saw him. Snape breathed a sigh of relief, then turned to me.

"Go to my office. You may use the Floo Powder there to return home," he said.

"I'm about bloody tired of-!"

"No Severus," Dumbledore interrupted. "I have a job for Miss Cain to do."

"_What_?" he snapped.

"It can wait," Dumbledore replied evenly. "Remus I want you to go to headquarters and wait for me there."

Lupin nodded and headed back towards the gate.

"Severus, find out what you can- who sent the dementors," Dumbledore said. "Go-"

"I want to know what you have for her to do," Snape said stiffly.

"It's nothing dangerous. It falls under her internship at St. Mungo's. It is a way for her to help the Order, risk-free. That's what you want, is it not?"

"Of course," he muttered. Then he turned on his heel and headed back towards the gate. He Disapparated as soon as he left the grounds.

"What is it you want me to do, sir?" I asked, eager to help, mostly because I knew it would irritate Snape.

"Did Severus tell you what happened?" he asked.

"No. He just ordered me about and was very irritable," I said, annoyed.

"Harry Potter and his cousin were attacked by dementors. He used the Patronus Charm to fight them off. The Ministry wanted to expel him- snap his wand in half. I persuaded them not to."

"Dementors? …The Dark Lord."

Dumbledore nodded.

"And what is it you need me to do?" I asked.

"The Muggle family Harry stays with, the Dursleys, will undoubtedly take their son Dudley- that's Harry's cousin- to the hospital closest to Little Whinging. They are extremely opposed to all things magical. I want you to go, pretend you are a Muggle doctor- confund the other doctors, if you must. Get Dudley in an exam room, away from his parents, and treat him for the dementor attack. He is a truly unpleasant boy and I think the attack hit him hard."

"I can do that," I said with a nod.

"I knew you could. And I wouldn't tell Healer Mycroft about this if I were you."

"Of course sir."

"And Olivia- try not to be cross with Severus. He is under a lot of stress. I'm sure he feels the dementor attack is his fault- as if perhaps, he hadn't been away, he would have heard and been able to warn us."

I nodded, thinking to myself that, from Snape's attitude, he probably blamed me.


	42. Year 7 Chapter 8

**Snape's POV**

I felt immensely guilty for being away when the dementor attack happened. If I had been closer, maybe the Dark Lord would have told me and I could have alerted the Order. Dumbledore told me later when I met up with him at headquarters that it had actually be Mundungus Fletcher's fault. He had left his post to investigate some stolen cauldrons or some such nonsense. This did little to soothe me. If I had known, I could have alerted them, then it wouldn't have mattered if Dung was there or not. But no, I had to go on "vacation". For Olivia.

Olivia. I sighed heavily. She was a weakness to me. I was too concerned about her happiness and well-being. The whole time I was talking to Lucius, trying to find out about the dementors, I was thinking about her, wondering what Albus had her doing.

When I returned to Spinner's End a few hours later, Olivia had not come home. I took a shower, fuming the whole time. I had been short with her earlier and she had gotten mad. But I needed her to _listen _and not question. What if it had been a question of life or death?

I went to my room and listened to the silence of the house, knowing I wouldn't be able to sleep until I knew she was home. Finally, around 4 a.m. I heard a pop as she Apparated in the hallway. I listened as she walked to her room, not even stopping outside my room. I heard her door shut forcefully and the lock clicked.

_Yep_, I thought to myself. _She's still mad…but at least she is safe. _

With that thought I turned over and went to sleep.

When I got up the next morning, Olivia was gone. There was a note on the counter, short and unsigned. All it said was "Gone to work." I scoffed and chucked it in the trash. She couldn't just keep avoiding me. We would have to talk eventually.

I spent most of the day with Dumbledore at Hogwarts and at headquarters. We decided what I would tell the Dark Lord about the Order's plans to move Potter. Sometimes I had to give information to Him that was true, otherwise he wouldn't trust me, but this wasn't one of those times. I would tell Him a band of Aurors were going to move the boy on the 25th, when in fact they were moving him a lot earlier than that. There would be Aurors there on the 25th, but they would be laying a false trail and would soon shake anyone who followed.

When I got home that evening, Olivia was sitting on the couch in her Healer Intern robes, reading a medical textbook.

"We need to talk," I said to her.

"About what, about how you're an ass?" she said, looking at me over her book. Annoyance flared inside of me.

"About your inability to listen and obey," I said.

"_Obey?_" she said, slamming her book shut. "I am not some slave, Severus Snape. You can't just order me to do something without explaining it. Even still, I did what the fuck you told me to do and you just criticized and hassled me."

"What if it had been a matter of life or death? You can't stop to question. I need you to trust me to do what is right for you."

She glowered at me a moment, then took a deep breath.

"I _do _trust you. I know you want to look out for me, to shield me from things like the Dark Arts, but Dammit Severus I'm a part of this whether you want me to be or not. I'll do whatever I can to help Dumbledore, to help the Order. And from what you've told me, eventually I will have to meet the Dark Lord. So let me do what I can now, to fight back, to prepare…and don't keep things from me unnecessarily. Treat me like an equal, not like a child."

I was speechless, not knowing what to say or do.

"Dumbledore thinks I'm ready, that I can handle this. He's asked me to help make contacts at St. Mungo's. He has faith in me," she said quietly. "Why can't you?"

I sighed heavily.

"…Okay," I said finally.

For the next hour she listened intently as I told her what the Order had been doing, including heir plan to move Potter to headquarters and my lie to the Dark Lord. I even told her of the prophecy, how badly He wanted it and the lengths the Order went through the protect it. I told her about His growing army, how He was slowly taking control of the dementors, gathering his followers, his attempts to persuade the giants.

When I was finished she sat there silently, her face pale.

"If you are going to be a part of this, you must understand that there will be times you _must _obey first and ask questions later. If this is going to work… If you want to stay with me…" I said quietly, sitting beside her on the edge of the couch. "There may be times when doing as I say may be the only thing keeping you alive."

Slowly, silently, she nodded.

"I'm sorry I was being so difficult," she said quietly.

"No… I am sorry. I shouldn't have been so bossy. I got all worked up because I wasn't where I should have been and I didn't know what was going on."

"Is it my fault?" she asked. "That Potter got attacked?"

"No, of course not," I assured her. "…It was _my _decision to go to Ireland and leave Albus without a direct link to the Dark Lord. It's _my _fault."

"It's not your fault either," she said, putting her hand on my leg. "It's not like you sent the dementors after Potter. Besides…Dumbledore _told _us we could go."

I smiled faintly.

**Olivia's POV**

Mine and Snape's relationship improved after our talk. We both worked late most nights, me at St. Mungo's and he doing a variety of tasks for the Dark Lord or for the Order. He always told me where he had gone and what he had done, if I asked, unless it was something Dumbledore made him swear not to. He was sometimes vague about the work he did for the Dark Lord and after a while I stopped pushing the issue. He didn't want me to know the bad things he was forced to do…and I told myself I didn't really want to know anyway.

One afternoon while I was working, one of the other interns told me I had a visitor in the lobby. Assuming it was Snape and wondering what he wanted, I headed downstairs. I did not expect to see Albus Dumbledore, sitting in a waiting room chair, reading an old copy of _Witch Weekly_. Several people shot him furtive looks and gave him a wide berth, no doubt thinking of all the lies they'd been reading in the _Prophet_.

The headmaster smiled when he saw me and put down the magazine.

"Hello Olivia," he said, standing. "Is there some place we could talk?"

"Yes sir," I said, thinking fast.

I led him to the break room which, for the time being, was empty of other Healers. I shut the door behind us.

"Is everything alright?" I inquired.

"Oh yes. A job has come up and I thought you might be interested," he said. "We may need a Healer."

"Of course sir. Anything I can do to help."

"Excellent," he said, pleased. "Now, if you will consent to return with me to headquarters, I can better explain the situation."

"What- now?" I asked. He inclined his head.

"Er…okay. I just have to let Healer Mycroft know I am leaving. I'll tell him something urgent has come up," I said, heading for the door. I paused when I reached the door.

"Yes?" Dumbledore asked pleasantly.

"Does Severus know?"

"Not yet," he replied. "But it will not be a dangerous situation, if he has played his part right. Therefore he should not object."

I nodded slowly, then hurried up to tell Healer Mycroft that I had to leave.

On my way up the stairs, I considered what the headmaster had told me. I hadn't been to headquarters since the first time I went. Snape said it was because I wasn't really an official member of the Order and didn't need to be there. But now Dumbledore was taking me there personally. I felt a thrill of excitement. I wondered who would be there. If Snape would be there…

I found Healer Mycroft and told him a family emergency had come up. He excused me, then I hurried back down to where Dumbledore was waiting in the break room.

"We will have to use Side-Along Apparition to get there," Dumbledore told me.

I nodded in understanding. I was not very fond of Side-Along Apparition, but I certainly wasn't going to argue with Dumbledore.

"Take my arm, if you will please," he said, extending his arm.

I did as asked and was immediately jerked forward.

My stomach lurched when my feet hit the ground but I resisted the urge to vomit. I put out a hand to steady myself and touched a filthy, age-blackened wall. I wrinkled my nose in disgust and looked around at my surroundings. I hadn't been able to look around much the first time I'd come.

An old, cobweb-covered chandelier hung overhead. Old portraits hung on the walls, most so old and mildewed one couldn't tell what they were of. What intrigued me the most was the candelabra sitting on a rickety table nearby- it was shaped like a serpent. On closer inspection I saw the chandelier was serpents as well. I quickly deduced that the house had probably, at some point, belonged to one of the old pureblood families.

"Come Olivia," Dumbledore said, interrupting my thoughts, "They won't start without us."

I followed Dumbledore down the hall, glancing apprehensively at the portraits.

We entered the kitchen, where a dozen or so people sat around the table. Snape was not among them, though I did recognize a few people I had met during my last visit.

All talk stopped when Dumbledore entered the room. Some of the people I didn't know looked at me curiously. I suddenly felt very young and alone. I wished Snape was there so I would have someone to sit by.

"Have a seat, Olivia," Dumbledore said to me. I made my way quickly to a seat between Sirius and Lupin, both of whom grinned at me. Dumbledore took a seat at the head of the table and all eyes focused on him. He took a minute to introduce me.

"For anyone who has not already met her, this is Olivia Cain. She is one of our contacts within St. Mungo's," he said. "Olivia, this is Kingsley Shacklebolt, Elphias Doge, Dedalus Diggle, Emmeline Vance, Sturgis Podmore, Hestia Jones and- well you already know Remus and Sirius. Alastor Moody…and, ah Nymphadora Tonks."

"Just Tonks," said Tonks, who was sitting on the other side of Lupin. She smiled brightly at me and winked and suddenly, I didn't feel quite so young and alone.

Dumbledore continued speaking, saying that everyone present was to be part of the advance guard that would move Harry Potter from his aunt and uncle's house.

"The Dursleys are rather unpleasant folk and would likely not take kindly to having a dozen wizards Apparating in their kitchen. We'll need someone to come up with way to lure them out of the house, for at least an hour," Dumbledore said. "Tonks, I think you will be capable of handling that."

"Yes sir," Tonks said immediately.

Dumbledore talked some more about where the Dursleys house was. There was some discussion about how they would get Potter to headquarters- it was decided that brooms would be the most efficient. Dumbledore, Mad Eye and Kingsley talked about the best route to take. They had a large map spread out at their end of the table. I soon grew bored and let my gaze wader around the kitchen. Tonks noticed my boredom and grinned at me. She screwed up her face in concentration and her nose turned into something resembling a pig snout.

"How did you do that?" I whispered quietly, surprised. She just smiled mysteriously and made her nose go back to normal.

"Tonks is a Metamorphmagus," Lupin said quietly, leaning over to whisper in my ear. I nodded my head in comprehension. Tonks winked at me, then turned her attention back to Dumbledore as he addressed everyone. He basically told everyone that Moody was in charge and to do what he said.

"Olivia," Dumbledore said to me, making me jump a little. "You are there in case someone gets hurt and as an extra set of eyes. You can stay out of sight, if you wish. If anything should go wrong, you Disapparate back here immediately, where a team of wizards will be standing by."

I nodded my head.

He then called the meeting to a close, after telling us to meet back at headquarters at 4 p.m. on the day we were to take Potter. Dumbledore stood to leave the table and the wizards around me broke into independent conversations.

"So are you a full-fledged member of the Order yet?" Sirius asked me curiously.

"Not officially, I don't think," I said. "I've done some stuff for Dumbledore on and off."

"What does Severus think about this?"

"I don't think he knows that Dumbledore plans for me to be part of the guard- he surprised me at work. …Severus doesn't like that I'm putting myself in danger, but Dumbledore usually trumps him on it. I'm doing what I can to help "the cause"."

Dumbledore walked over to me then.

"Olivia, I must return to the school. You can leave whenever you wish."

"Yes sir. Thank you."

He nodded to me and said goodbye to Lupin and Sirius.

I saw Dumbledore stop and talk to Tonks before leaving the room. Once he was gone, a few other wizards and witches left as well, and Tonks walked over to us.

"You look a little young to be a Healer," she said to me not unkindly.

"I'm an intern," I told her. "I'm in my 7th year at Hogwarts."

"Though age is hardly an indication of talent, as you well know," Lupin said to her.

"Too right," Tonks said.

"Tonks is an Auror. The youngest in her department," Lupin told me.

"You're an Auror?" I said, impressed.

"Yeah. Mostly because I can disguise myself so easily," she said. "I'm dead clumsy really."

"You're in charge of distracting the Dursleys, right?"

She nodded.

"I've met them before," I said and quickly told her and Lupin and Sirius who were listening curiously, about pretending to be a Muggle doctor for Dumbledore. They all seemed rather impressed.

"They are really unpleasant people. They hate all things magical and pride themselves on being a neat, normal family."

"Hm," she said, nodding her head. "I think I'll do a bit of spying on them beforehand. Come up with something clever," Lupin told her kindly.

"I'm sure you'll come up with something brilliant," Lupin said to her kindly.

"Thanks Remus," Tonks said with a smile. I thought I saw a familiar look in Lupin's eye. He saw me looking curiously at him and looked a little guilty. I smiled at him and he grinned somewhat sheepishly back at me.

"Hey, I've got an idea," Tonks said suddenly. "Why don't you come with me, Olivia? To check out these Dursleys?"

"Well, okay," I said surprised. "When?"

"How about tomorrow morning? We could meet at headquarters at around 8 a.m. Molly usually has breakfast on the table around then and she always makes enough for guests. You never know who will be stopping by."

I thought about it a moment, then nodded.

"Sounds good to me. I'll have to let my boss- Healer Mycroft- know that I will be out tomorrow, too," I said, thinking that I would also have to run it by Snape first.

**Snape's POV**

When I got home that evening, Olivia was not there. It wasn't unusual for her to work late at the hospital. I figured she would be home sometime later with a disgusting and thrilling tale of a wizard who had magically fused himself with a cow during a freak accident, or a witch whose body parts had been rearranged when a charm went wrong.

I had just summoned dinner from Hogwarts and sat down to eat when I heard the familiar pop of Olivia Apparating into the living room. She came into the kitchen, still wearing her Healer Intern robes, and sat down across from me.

"Dumbledore visited me today," she said without prelude, taking a roll off of my summoned plate and taking a bite.

"What did he want?" I inquired, wondering why the headmaster had not said anything to me. I had seen him earlier in the day.

"He said he had a job for me and he took me to headquarters. He wants me to accompany the advance guard when they move Potter."

She was carefully studying me for my reaction. I tried my best to seem unfazed.

"What exactly does your accompaniment entail?" I asked.

"Well I have the option of remaining hidden and not being seen by Potter, which I think I'll go with. It's better if he doesn't know me," she answered. "Basically I'm there so that if they are attacked, I can report back to headquarters _immediately _and send help. Then, I think his idea is that if anyone is seriously injured, I would be right there at headquarters."

"…I like the 'you getting out of danger _immediately' _part," I said with the smallest of smiles.

"So you aren't opposed to my doing this?"

"…No. The danger to you is minimal. The only way the Advance Guard would get attacked is if I didn't play my part right."

_And_, I thought to myself, _now I could go to greater lengths to make sure absolutely nothing goes wrong. _I could be at the Dark Lord's side the entire time the Order moved Potter. Then I would know if Death Eaters were sent out and I could weasel my way into going with them. Nothing would happen to Olivia while I had the ability to do something about it.

"…You play a vital role. Your being there could mean the difference in life and death for somebody. So many missions during the time of the original Order of the Phoenix may not have been fatal if there had been a Healer on hand."

"…I'm glad to be able to do something to help," she said.

She made herself plate from the food I had summoned from Hogwarts and began to eat.

"Oh I almost forgot," she said after a minute. "Do you know Tonks?"

I thought a moment.

"Blue-haired Auror girl?"

"She's a Metamorphmagus, but yes," she said. "Well, I'm supposed to go meet her in the morning to spy on the Dursleys."

"Potter's Muggle family? Why?"

"Tonks has to construct a way to get them out of the house. Dumbledore seems to think it would be easier to leave a letter than having to actually encounter them. And Tonks and I got to talking after the meeting and I offered to help."

"That's nice. What time are you meeting her in the morning?"

"Early. Before 8. We're going to have breakfast at headquarters with the Weasleys."

I noticed Olivia cringed slightly as she said this last part. I smiled a little.

"I never eat there," I said, shaking my head.

We continued to eat in silence a moment.

"Whose house is headquarters? It looks like it could belong to Malfoy's grandfather, all old and dark with the snakes. A bit homey, to me, if it weren't for all the dust."

"The house belongs to the Black family. He lent it to Albus for headquarters. …Before Sirius, all of the Black family were Slytherin pureblood maniacs and loyal to the Dark Lord. His brother, Regulus, was a Death Eater, only a few years younger than myself…we were friends, of sorts. Then the Dark Lord killed Regulus for attempting to abandon the Death Eaters when he realized the Dark Lord is ruthless and insane," I said. "…Besides Sirius and I still hate each other. And the Weasley children and Granger are there…it would make for a very uncomfortable meal, if I ever decided to eat there."

"…Maybe it won't be so bad for me," Olivia said. "Sirius still likes me and Granger likes me. The Weasley twins are in the same year as me, I'm a bit curious to see what they will say to me. Their Mother won't let them join the Order."

**Olivia's POV**

The next morning I awoke around seven o'clock. I disentangled myself from Snape and went to take a quick shower. I washed my hair and decided to let it air dry. I hurried, naked, from the bathroom to my room to dress. I opted for Muggle clothes, since I knew we would need to blend in. I dressed in jeans and a green tank top and tennis shoes.

Before I left to meet Tonks, I went back into Snape's room. He was still asleep, twisted up in the blanket so that one foot, his right arm and part of his bare chest was uncovered. I pulled the blanket over him then gently kissed his cheek. He stirred a little and a small smile formed on his lips, but he did not wake. I tiptoed downstairs to the living room so as not to disturb him, then Disapparated with a pop to headquarters.

I appeared flawlessly just inside the door of Grimmauld Place. Molly Weasley came out of the kitchen.

"Good morning dear. Tonks isn't here yet, but come on into the kitchen and have some breakfast. Everyone's just starting to stir," she said, ushering me into the kitchen which smelled heavenly- pancakes, eggs, sausage and bacon…I was practically drooling.

Sirius was sitting at the table, along with the Weasley twins and a man I knew to be their father, Arthur Weasley.

"Good morning Olivia," Sirius said, motioning for me to come and sit beside him.

"Morning," I said, sitting beside him somewhat reluctantly.

"Well if it isn't Olivia Cain," said one of the Weasley twins. "What are _you _doing here?"

"I'm working on an assignment with Tonks this morning," I said as Mrs. Weasley offered me a cup of coffee, which I gratefully accepted.

"No fair!" said the other twin loudly. "Why does _she _get to be in the Order?"

"She's _barely _of age-" added the first.

"-the same age as us-"

"-she still hasn't even graduated-"

"Why can't _we _be in the Order? We want to help!"

They were looking between their father and mother. Arthur Weasley looked helplessly at me.

"I'm not an official member," Is aid quickly to my two classmates. "I'm just helping."

"Olivia has talents we need," Sirius added calmly. "Dumbledore knew of her natural skills and set up an internship for her at St. Mungo's. She is our connection to the hospital."

"_We _could help too-" muttered one of the twins.

"And she's a _Slytherin_," muttered the other.

"Now Fred. We didn't raise you to be prejudiced against anyone," his mother said sharply. "After all, Professor Snape is a Slytherin and look at all he's done to help us."

"Slimy old git," snorted Fred.

"He is _not_ a git!" I flared immediately. I didn't care that he called me a Slytherin- like that was a bad thing!- but I wasn't going to stand by and let him insult Snape.

"Fred," his mother said, exasperated. She looked to Sirius for help- Arthur was sitting quietly at the head of the table, sipping coffee and hiding behind a newspaper.

"Well he is a git," Sirius said with a shrug. "Olivia knows he's a git. She has to live with him."

All noise in the kitchen ceased- even the bacon which had been bewitched to fry itself, stopped in mid flip. Everyone looked at me and I glared at Sirius with the best eat-shit-and-die look I could muster so early in the morning.

"Oops," said Sirius, flashing me a genuinely apologetic but still highly irritating smile.

"You live with Snape?" said Fred in a very loud voice, which drew Hermione and a very tired-looking Ron Weasley into the kitchen.

"Who's talking about Snape?" Ron asked, plopping down beside his brothers.

"We were discussing whether or not he was a git-" said George.

"Definitely a git," projected Ron.

"_Ronald_," Hermione said with an eye roll.

"-and Sirius here brought it up that Olivia actually _lives with Snape_," finished George.

All eyes were on me again. Hermione smiled and greeted me, but she too looked curious.

"He's my legal guardian. His mother and my mother were sisters and when my mother died…well, he was all I had left," I said uncomfortably, starting to wish I had heeded Snape's advice and not gone.

The Weasley boys immediately began questioning me firing off anything they could think of: What was his house like? Was it in a Wizarding village? Was he just as weird at home as he was at Hogwarts? For once, their mother didn't stop them, busying herself with breakfast but you could tell she was still listening intently.

"First of all, I don't think he is weird- or a git!- at home OR at Hogwarts. As for his house, it's in a Muggle village and it's…well, it's a lot like this one, only somewhat smaller and a lot _cleaner_ since I've been around. The man didn't even own a feather duster," I said, shaking my head.

"Perhaps you could give us some cleaning tips. We've been trying to get this place cleaned up," said Mrs. Weasley to me as she set plates of food out on the table.

"It wasn't suitable for life when we first set up headquarters," Sirius told me. "No one's lived in here since my mother died in 1985."

At that moment there came a clatter from outside in the hallway, immediately followed by an earsplitting shriek. Sirius leapt up and rushed into the hall. I followed, trying to cover my ears and grab my wand at the same time.

Out in the hallway I saw Tonks on the floor, hands clapped over her ears, next to a troll-leg umbrella stand which she had obviously tripped over. What drew my attention away from her was a large picture frame, which until now had always been covered with moth-eaten curtains. It was a portrait of a wild-looking, crazy-eyed woman who was bellowing at the top of her lungs.

"Scum of the Earth! Bastard children of Mudbloods and Squibs! Filthy, cowardly, blood-traitors!" howled the portrait. Sirius helped Tonks up and the two of them managed with some difficulty, to close the curtains.

"What the bloody hell _was _that?" I asked, wide-eyed.

"That," said Sirius. "Was my dear old Mum. Charming woman, eh?"

"Yeah," I snorted. "Was she always like that?"

He nodded.

"Even when I was a kid," he said. "She disowned me after I left home at 16."

There was a noise at the top of the stairs and a young, red-haired girl in pajamas came down, rubbing her brown eyes sleepily. She looked familiar- I figured I had seen her when assisting Snape in teaching some of his younger classes.

"What's all the racket about?" she asked with a yawn.

"Sorry Ginny, it's my fault," Tonks said apologetically. "It's that darned umbrella stand. I trip over it every time. I didn't mean to wake anyone."

"It's okay Tonks," said Ginny. "Smells like breakfast is ready anyway."

Ginny came down the stairs and walked past me into the kitchen, murmuring a quick hello.

When I went back into the kitchen Fred and George were at it again with their mother.

"But why don't we get to go on 'secret assignments'? We've got skills to offer the Order!" George said.

"Now that's enough, both of you! Professor Dumbledore asked for Olivia _personally_. I think if he had any use for your 'skills' he would tell you!" Mrs. Weasley shouted.

Tonks, sensing I was uncomfortable, did not sit.

"Why don't we go, Olivia? We wouldn't want to be late," Tonks said, coming to my rescue.

"Oh but you haven't had breakfast," Molly Weasley said. "It's the most important meal of the day and goodness knows you are both thin as a broom handle and peaky."

"Nonsense Molly. We'll grab something a bit later," Tonks said, turning to go back into the hall. I hastened to follow.

"Alright fine," Mrs. Weasley said, following us into the hall. "Be careful, both of you."

"We will," Tonks assured her.

I nodded to her and she bustled back into the kitchen.

"Are we going to Apparate directly there?"

"No, it'd be too easy to be seen. We'll have to Apparate somewhere where there is less of a chance of us being seen. Professor Dumbledore told me of an old mill… if you hold my hand, you can Apparate with me," she said.

"I'm not so good with Side-Along Apparition," I told her, feeling nauseous at the thought. "It makes me sick."

"This won't be quite the same as Side-Along," Tonks said. "We Disapparate at the same time but instead of focusing on a specific destination, think vaguely of a mill and focus your mind hard on me. I will be able to lead you."

She extended her hand and I took it.

"Ready?" she asked.

I nodded, staring hard into her eyes which were, for the moment, a dazzling sky blue.

"One…two…three-" Tonks said and I felt myself being jerked forward.

I felt the familiar folding feeling of Apparating but I was hyperaware of my hand in Tonks'. I felt a bit like my hand was slipping and I fought t move my other hand to grab hold of her. Then it was like we slammed into each other. When the world expanded, I found myself suddenly horizontal and pressed against Tonks, who was on her back beneath me. Gravity took hold and she slammed forcefully back into the ground and I fell onto her. Our heads cracked together.

"Ow!" we both said, prying our fingers apart to grab our heads. I rolled off of her with a groan and lay back on the dry, yellow grass. Tonks began laughing and I started to laugh as well.

"Well that was fun," she said, sitting up. I sat up as well and was met with a familiar sight.

"Hey…I know that old mill…this isn't far from home!" I said enthusiastically. "…Are you sure we are in the right place? Where do the Dursleys live?"

"They live on Privet Drive, it's about 3 miles from here so we have a bit of walk," she said. "…You live with Snape, right?"

"Yeah. It's a ways down there. We could stop by after we watch the Dursleys."

"Will Snape be there?" she asked warily.

"Probably not. He's not home a lot."

"We could stop by… I've always wondered what kind of place he lives in. He looks so…at place, in headquarters," she said, beginning to walk away from the old mill. "Maybe I'm just weird, but I always try and imagine what kind of place someone lives in. Like Dumbledore- what kind of house he might have, if he even has a house outside of Hogwarts."

"I bet it would have purple shag carpet and Michael Jackson posters," I said with a grin.

"Who's Michael Jackson?" she asked curiously.

"He's a Muggle singer. Very weird."

"Speaking of weird," she said, looking up at her, which was bright pink. "I should probably look a bit more boring."

She took a mirror out of her pocket and looked at her reflection. She screwed up her face and changed her hair to blonde. She ran her fingers through it, looking hard at her reflection, then turned it mouse-brown.

"What do you think?" Tonks asked me. "Blonde or brown?"

"Definitely brown. And I really like the bright blue, but it does draw attention to you."

"Right," she agreed, and changed her eyes to a darker, less prominent blue-green color. She concentrated on her nose and made it a little smaller, so that it looked more natural on her face.

I looked her over- she wore a black, moderately short skirt and a gray top. Cute, but not drop-dead gorgeous. Defiantly Muggle.

"So you seem to know Sirius and Remus pretty well," she said casually as we walked.

"Well Remus taught Defense Against the Dark Arts my fifth year and Sirius…when he first escape form Azkaban, I thought he was just some lovable stray from the village so I fed him a lot. I tested Potions on him, too. I'm Severus' apprentice and I experiment with Potions sometimes. I even helped brew the Wolfsbane for Remus."

"Do you think he's cute?" she asked me.

"Who, Remus?"

She nodded. I hesitated.

"…You and I are friends, right? Can you keep a secret?"

"Of course," she said solemnly.

I took a deep breath and quickly told her about my brief affair with Lupin.

"Wow, I can't believe it," she said, eyes wide. "…Was he good? How big is he?"

"He was pretty good," I said, blushing. "And big. We never went all the way, though. He wouldn't. He knew we couldn't be together and he wouldn't take me. …Later, after we weren't together anymore…I was glad he didn't."

"That was good of him, in a weird way," Tonks said. "Sort of noble."

We crossed the bridge over the dirty river and I paused.

"…He didn't want to care for me the way he did. It just sort of happened. …We were friends, and I was just a stupid kid. I didn't know what real love was…now I do."

"You're still a kid. When you're in school, you date. Kids always think they'll be together forever. I'm not still with any of the boys I dated in Hogwarts."

"I'm not like normal school girls," I said. "I don't like any of the boys my own age. I went to the Yule Ball with a girl. The only men I've ever looked twice at are Remus and…the person I'm with now."

"Ooh, who is it?" she asked, intrigued.

"I can't say."

"…Is it one of the Healers at St. Mungo's?" she asked.

"I'm not saying."

"Come on, you can tell me. I won't tell anyone," Tonks said. "Is it a patient?"

"I really can't tell anyone, not even my friends. He could get into trouble."

"Alright, keep your secrets then," she said.

We walked in silence a while down the street past the Muggle houses.

"Do you think Remus likes me?" Tonks asked after a few minutes.

I thought a moment before answering.

"I think he could. Have you two talked at all?"

"We've done a few guard duties together and we see each other at headquarters. We both have meals with the Weasleys and Sirius at headquarters most of the time. I'm not much of a cooker, so it' easier to just eat there. Mrs. Weasley always makes a lot of food," she said. "And Remus is always really nice and he looks at me a lot. He always smiles and is…somewhat charming."

"It would be great if you two got together. Remus always seems so sad to me and he deserves to be happy. He feels so distant and estranged from everyone, because of his condition. …He needs love."

"But how do I find out for sure if he even likes me?"

"I've found it's always best to be direct. Dress extra cute when you know you're going to be around him. Sit close to him and talk to him. Flirt a little, if you can do it smoothly… It should be easier for you than it was for me. I was a student and we had to be extra-careful. Our relationship was Taboo. You are an adult. You can actually _date_."

"Hey, this is it- Privet Drive," she said, looking up at the street sign.

"Which house belongs to the Dursleys?"

She scanned the street, then nodded to a house with a perfectly cut, lush, green lawn and hedges. A mustached man I recognized as Vernon Dursley was getting into a car in the driveway. His bony, pale wife, Petunia, kissed him goodbye and handed him a sack lunch.

We continued walking down the street so as not to draw attention to ourselves as Vernon Dursley pulled out and drove off towards his job. The first chance we got, we slipped into an alley.

"Mad-Eye let me borrow his invisibility cloak," Tonks said, digging into her purse, which I figured must be enchanted when she pulled a huge, silvery-looking cloak out.

"Nonsense," I said dismissively. "Cloaks are faulty, the charm on them wears off. I've got a real knack for Disillusionment Charms."

I pulled out my wand and cast the charm on myself.

"Wow," Tonks said. "You're really invisible! Even Mad-Eye's Disillusionment Charm isn't that good. Will you do me?"

I smirked slightly, but I was invisible so she didn't see.

"Sure," I said and tapped her on the head with my wand.

Invisible, the two of us went back to the Dursley's house. We hung around the house for several hours, peeking in windows. We saw Petunia go around and open all the windows as the morning turned hot. Dudley sat in the living room, staring vacantly at the television while his mother gave him veggies and baked crisps to snack on.

"I know that's not Harry?" Tonks murmured to me.

"No, that's his cousin, Dudley," I told her.

It was a while before we actually saw Potter. Petunia had shooed Dudley outside to get some exercise- he'd gone off with some other large Muggle boys- and she had sat down to watch the news when Potter's head slipped around the corner. He was there for maybe ten minutes before Petunia saw him.

"What are you doing?" she spat.

"Bathroom," he muttered and hurried past her.

Tonks and I watched as Potter retreated back upstairs to his room a moment later.

"How dare she," Tonks said darkly. "Doesn't' she know what he's been through?"

"Of course she does. The Dursleys are just awful people," I said. "…On the other hand, at least she isn't forcing him to clean. He's just hiding in his room, from the looks of it."

After a while, Petunia turned off the television and came outside to work in the garden.

"Let's go. I've got an idea," Tonks whispered to me.

We walked away from the Dursley's house, back in the direction of Spinner's End.

"They seem to take great pride in appearances, especially their yard. Their grass is greener and more lush than any of the others on the street," Tonks said. "So to lure them out, I'm going to send them a letter, telling them they've won an award for the Best Lawn-make it look real, use a fake address that's far away, so we have enough time to snatch Potter."

"Brilliant," I said to her with a nod.

We talked as we walked back towards Spinner's End and as we reached the old abandoned Muggle houses I removed our Disillusionment Charms.

"Would you like to have lunch with me after we see Snape's house?" she asked me. "We could go to this place I know in Diagon Alley?"

"Sounds good," I agreed.

We soon came to the house at Spinner's End and I led Tonks inside. I called out a hello to Snape, just in case he was home, but received no response. I gave Tonks a brief tour, showing her my room, the living room, the kitchen and the potions room. She seemed impressed with all the hidden doors.

We were sitting on the ouch, talking about Lupin again when Snape Apparated into the room with a pop.

He looked slightly alarmed to find a stranger on the couch at first, then he deduced it was Tonks. He frowned slightly.

"Olivia, a word," she said.

I stood up from the couch, about a foot away from him, looking up at him.

"Kitchen," he said on an exhale.

I followed him into the kitchen and the door shut behind us.

"she shouldn't be here," he said tightly.

"Why?" I demanded. "She's my friend. Am I not allowed to make friends?"

"I could care less about who you are friends with. You should have asked my permission before bringing her here-"

"Your _permission_?" I snorted.

"Yes, my permission. Like it or not, this is _my _house. I am the master of this house and there are certain things -" he stopped and took a deep breath, then continued in a softer tone. "…Listen, I'm not mad. But you can't bring members of Order of the Phoenix here. At any moment a Death Eater could stop by…or even the Dark Lord himself."

I felt myself pale.

"Could that really happen? Could He come here?"

"It is unlikely," he replied. "But not impossible."

"…Tonks and I were going to have lunch anyway," I said after a moment. "And I won't bring her back here."

"Olivia," he said, stopping me before I could leave the kitchen. "I'm not trying to tell you that you cannot have your friends here. It is your house, too, after all. I'm just saying we should discuss these things first. I'm not trying to pick a fight with you."

"…I know, Severus," I said with a small smile. I stood on tiptoes and kissed his lips, then left the kitchen.

Tonks was sitting on the couch patiently, looking in her handheld mirror and turning her hair varying shades of purple. Finally settling on a vivid neon-purple, she put her mirror away and looked up at me, her eyes back to their startling blue.

"Ready to go, Liv?" she asked, standing up.

"Sure," I said as Snape followed me out of the kitchen. "I'll be home later, Severus."

Tonks took my hand, even though it wasn't really necessary this time, and we Disapparated.

We appeared on the sidewalk in the middle of Diagon Alley, right outside of Gringotts. Tonks released my hand and we began to walk down the street.

"You know how earlier we were talking about Remus and you said you were with someone else…?" she asked in a cheerful tone.

"Yes," I said warily.

"Is it Snape?"

"What makes you think that?" I asked quickly.

"Just then, at the house… I could tell there was something between you two. Some sort of connection or sexual energy," she said mysteriously. I felt my face flush.

"Well…you can't tell anyone," I said quickly and ferociously. "The only people who know besides Severus and myself are you and Remus."

"I won't tell anyone," she promised. "As long as you don't tell anyone that I like Remus."

"You don't have to worry about that."

"Does this mean we are friends now?" she asked.

"I think so."

"Cool," she said with a broad grin. "I've never been friends with a Slytherin before."

Author's Note: I don't actually know that Spinner's End is near Privet Drive at all, I just made that up. But wouldn't it be weird if it was? If Snape lived so close to Harry the whole time?

Anyways, hope to update soon. Read and review everyone!

~LittleReporterGirl


	43. Year 7 Chapter 9

**Snape's POV**

I tried to be glad that Olivia was making friends outside of school, but over the next few weeks she spent a lot of time with Tonks. They did assignments for the Order together, even did guard duty in the Department of Mysteries together. They had lunch together most days and Olivia spent more and more time at headquarters, even going so far as to join in helping the Weasley clean out the house. She brought stuff home that they had been going to throw out, including serpentine door knobs and books on Dark Magic, which I took away from her and hid in a locked trunk in the attic. I also drew the line when she implored me to take the serpentine chandelier that hung in the hall of headquarters. She must have convinced Black to leave it be, however- that or it had a permanent Sticking Charm on it- because after I told her no it never left the hallway at headquarters.

The night Olivia went with the Advance Guard to move Potter, I stayed by the Dark Lord's side, despite Albus' request that I come to headquarters. Only when I thought they'd had enough time to get him safely to headquarters and I was sure the Dark Lord had nothing nefarious in mind, did I Apparate back to headquarters.

When I arrived at headquarters there were a few members of the Order milling about, but no sign of Albus. Minerva was there and she walked over to me.

"Have they not arrived?" I asked. She shook her head.

At that moment, Albus came through the front door. The whole room turned to look at him.

"Harry is safe," he said, to which everyone breathed a sigh of relief. "They have passed the final checkpoint and will be arriving in approximately five minutes. Now, I should like to begin the meeting."

Everyone started to go into the kitchen. Albus saw me watching him and walked over to where I stood.

"I know that look, Severus," he said with a smile. "Olivia is fine. She elected to remain invisible throughout the flight."

"Good. I mean, not that I was worried," I said quickly. "I wasn't."

"Okay Severus," he said, still smiling. I scowled and walked past him into the kitchen.

When everyone was seated in the kitchen, Albus started talking, but I couldn't concentrate on what he was saying. Part of my mind was still worrying about Olivia. If she was invisible, how did he know she was safe? Knowing Olivia, she would be using her Occlumency to guard her mind.

I let out an inaudible sigh of relief when Lupin and the others came into the meeting. After they came in, she appeared as well. She smiled briefly at me and she and Tonks came and sat beside me.

When she sat down, I noticed there was ice in her clothes and hair. I wondered vaguely where it had come from. Olivia looked a little nervous, but Dumbledore smiled at her and she seemed to relax a little.

"How was the journey?" he asked, directing his question at Moody.

"Suspiciously uneventful," Moody growled.

"No sign you were followed?"

"Negative," he replied. "though they wouldn't agree to double-back for a while."

"We were all frozen to our brooms already," Tonks said. "Some of us went through clouds."

A few of the others murmured in agreement.

"We were not followed," Kingsley Shacklebolt said in a deep, authoritative voice.

"Excellent," said Dumbledore.

The meeting continued and Olivia started to look bored, though I stopped looking her way when Tonks saw me glance at Olivia and smiled at me, making me highly uncomfortable. I pretended to be engrossed in what Lupin was saying.

When the meeting ended, Molly Weasley asked everyone to clear out of the kitchen, unless we planned to stay and eat. Knowing that Potter was going to be eating with them, I stood quickly and made my way to the hall, expecting Olivia to be directly behind me, but she wasn't.

Elphias Doge engaged me in conversation, but I kept glancing towards the kitchen door to see if Olivia had come out. Finally, she and Tonks emerged, in the middle of their own conversation.

"-no, I'm going to stay for dinner," Tonks was saying. "You should stay, too."

"No," Olivia declined. "Potter will be here and it's better for him not to know me as a member of the Order."

"Alright then," Tonks said, looking puzzled. I knew what Olivia meant, though. In the future, if the Dark Lord accepted her into his ranks… I shuddered at the mere thought.

"Are you going home?" Olivia asked, making her way over to me. I nodded my head.

We broke away from the group of wizards in the hall and left through the front door. Standing on the front stoop, Olivia shivered slightly in the cool night air. She took my hand in hers and we both Disapparated.

**Olivia's POV**

When we appeared in our living room, I released Snape's hand and collapsed onto the couch, exhausted and cold. I had accidentally flown through several clouds while following the advance guard and my clothes had gotten soaked.

"You look like you could use a hot bath," Snape said to me.

"That would be nice," I murmured. "Maybe in a minute. I'm too tired to go upstairs."

Without saying anything, he turned and went upstairs. A moment later I heard the water start to run. I also heard a door open and a moment later shut. Then Snape came back downstairs.

"You didn't have to-" I started to say, but Snape surprised me by picking me up and carrying me upstairs.

The bathroom was lit with candles on the sides of the tub and the bathwater smelled like chamomile. The candles had come from my room and the chamomile as well, probably from my potions ingredients.

I felt a deep flood of affection for Snape. He set me gently on my feet.

"I love you," I said and kissed him. I could see him blush slightly by candlelight and he smirked, looking pleased with himself.

"I will leave you to relax," he said. He left, not shutting the door behind him. I undressed, not seeing any need to close the door, and settled into the warm water with a comfortable sigh. The water seemed to seep all of the weariness out of my bones. I found myself thinking the only way it could be any more perfect is if I had a book to read.

Five minutes later Snape appeared in the doorway with a book in his hand.

"How did you know?" I asked.

"I know you," he said simply. He walked over and handed me the book, kissing my forehead, then turned to leave.

"You're being very sweet, Severus," I commented.

He paused and thought a moment before answering.

"I am very glad your mission was successful," he said slowly.

"Yeah, Dumbledore told me you worried yourself into a stomach ulcer," I said with a smile.

He scowled slightly.

"When did he say that?" he asked.

"After the meeting, to Tonks and I."

"…Does Tonks know? About us?" he inquired. "She kept giving me weird looks during the meeting."

"She suspects," I replied. "But she won't tell anyone. She has a thing for Lupin."

He made a disgusted face and nodded.

Later, when I got out of the bath, I went to my room. I put on shorts and a t-shirt and sat on the edge of the bed to brush my hair. Snape came in and sat beside me. He took the brush from me and positioned me between his legs so he could brush my wet hair.

"I think I'd like to travel to Australia someday," I mused, flipping through the book on animals I had been reading in the tub.

"Why is that?" he asked.

"There are a lot of animals there I would like to see- billywigs and the Antipodean Opaleye…I guess they have dragon reserves down there, too. I also wouldn't mind going to Africa, seeing Erumpents and Fwoopers in their natural habitats…"

"We could, you know. Not now, but someday…when the Dark Lord is vanquished and everything returns to normal… I could take a year off teaching. We could travel the world, if you wanted to," he said, brushing my hair aside and kissing my neck.

"…I'd like that," I said quietly, leaning back against him. He set the brush aside and put his arms around me. He rested his chin on my shoulder and kissed me again.

"I'd like it, too," he murmured against my skin.

**Snape's POV**

The days seemed to fly by in the time leading up to Potter's hearing at the Ministry and while all of the other members of the Order were anxious, even Olivia, I wasn't. I had faith in Dumbledore. He wasn't just going to let them snap Potter's wand. And he still had enough loyal friends in the Ministry to get through a hearing. His word had kept me out of Azkaban- Potter had nothing to worry about.

Sure enough, the night of August 12th I got a letter form Dumbledore telling me Potter had gotten off scott-free. Since Olivia had not returned from work at St. Mungo's yet, I decided to visit Hogwarts and see Albus, to hear about the trial firsthand.

After listening to Albus' account of the hearing, I couldn't help but notice he still looked troubled.

"So what's wrong?" I asked. "Potter isn't going to be expelled."

"…The Ministry is placing one of their own at Hogwarts this year. The Minister questions my ability to un the school."

"_What_? Who?"

"Dolores Umbridge."

"That horrid woman who wears nothing but pink?"

He nodded.

"What position will she have at Hogwarts?" I demanded.

"She will take the position vacated by Professor Moody."

"_She _gets to be Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?"

"I have no say in the matter, Severus," Albus said, getting up and turning to look out the window. "If I say no, I will be removed from the position of headmaster and Lord Voldemort will have access to the school."

I opened my mouth to speak, then closed it. He was right, of course.

"…You have not yet submitted your Prefect recommendations to Minerva," he said.

"You want to discuss this _now_?" I asked incredulously.

"Just thought I would remind you," he said with a slight smile. "You also have schedules to finish."

"Fine," I said, rolling my eyes. "I'll just stay here tonight and finish things up. I'm going up to the Owlery and let Olivia know."

He nodded absently, still not looking at me, and I left his office.

After sending an owl to the house, I headed down to my office. I was halfway through writing up my second-year schedules when there was a knock at the door.

"Come in," I said, assuming it was Albus or maybe even Minerva. The door opened and Olivia slipped inside.

"What are you going here?" I asked, surprised, putting down my quill.

"Well you didn't think I was going to stay home all alone, did you?" she said with a smile. "I'll stay in the dormitory if you think I should."

"Well…no one knows you're here…so I think we'll be okay," I said. "…but I've got to finish these schedules. And I've got to decide on two recommendations for the new Prefects. Hey…you don't want to be a Prefect, do you?"

"What? No."

"Come on… You'd be in a position of authority. You could use the Prefects bathroom whenever you want," I said appealingly.

"No way. Besides, if I really wanted to use the stupid Prefects bathroom, I would. I could figure out their password if I felt so inclined. What's so great about a bathroom?"

"Have you ever had a bath there?"

"…No."

"Come," I said, standing up. "What time is it?"

"Uh…12:30. Why?" she asked, standing up.

"Follow me, and keep quiet."

I led Olivia up out of the dungeons, keeping an ear out for Filch or Minerva, though I doubted anyone would be out this late, with no students around. Keeping to the shadows and using hidden passageways we made our way to the Prefects bathroom.

**Olivia's POV**

The bathtub in the Prefects bathroom was huge! It was as big as a swimming pool and there were hundreds of different taps. While Snape looked the door and began adding spells for extra protection, I investigated the taps. There was an array of scented soaps, oddly shaped, enormous bubbles. I found raspberry-scented bubble bath and added it generously to the tub that was steadily filling with water.

Snape turned to me when he had finished the last charm. He put his arms around me, inhaling deeply. He kissed my neck.

"That smells…" he trailed off, at a loss for words. I felt his penis get hard against my leg.

"Orgasmic?" I suggested.

"Like your shampoo."

I laughed slightly.

"Strip," he commanded me.

"Yes Professor," I said, stepping backwards. Slowly I pulled my shirt off over my head, revealing my green lace bra. I was met with a hungry look. He pulled me back to him and kissed me hungrily, his thumb tracing my nipple through the fabric of my bra.

"Call me that again," he said, his voice a low growl, his other hand on my butt, pulling down my shorts.

"You're being very naughty, Professor," I said in a sultry voice.

"I want you now. In the water."

I slipped out of his grasp and shimmied the rest of the way out of my shorts. Still in my underwear and bra, I slipped into the warm water. Thick bubbles covered the surface of the water. I went under once, to get my hair wet, and came back up, blowing the bubbles out of the way.

"Come and get me, Professor," I said wickedly.

He began to strip as I watched. He didn't even leave his boxers on and I couldn't help but stare at his erect penis. As always, I was impressed by its length- at least 10 inches- and its width. The head was gleaming with pre-cum and I had a strong desire to swim to the edge so I could give him a lick. I was denied the opportunity as he slid down into the water with a relaxed sigh.

He swam towards me, a hungry look in his eyes. Smirking mischievously, I swam away, out of his reach. He ducked under the water, beneath the bubbles, and before I knew it he had surfaced right in front of me. He grabbed me up in his arms before I cold react and kissed me.

I giggled as he fumbled with the clasp of my green bra. He pulled it off and tossed it carelessly into the water. He ran his thumb over one of my nipples, sending a shudder of pleasure through me. He kissed me again and this time I put my arms around him. I wrapped my legs around his waist as well and I could feel his hard length pressing against me. He lowered one hand through the water, his other hand holding me up. He tugged at my underwear.

"Off," he said. I nodded complacently. He lifted me out of the water and set me on the edge of the rub. Without further ado, he pulled my panties off and tossed them aside.

He slipped one finger inside of me and I let out a ragged gasp. He smirked slightly as he began to finger me, then he lowered himself between my thighs and began to lick me. He flicked his tongue over my clit as he moved his fingers in and out of me. Then he withdrew his fingers and began to go in and out of me with his tongue, his hands on my hips.

"Oh my God," I said, clutching my fingers in his wet hair and pulling him deeper into me.

I came once and he eagerly lapped up my juices. Still I ached for more.

"I want you inside me," I said, sliding back into the water. "…Professor."

With a low groan, he pushed me back against the wall of the tub and was immediately inside of me. He buried himself in the crook of my neck, kissing me, sucking, licking and nibbling from my ear to my neck. I moaned and he began to thrust into me, faster and harder until we both came. I cried his name aloud as the intense waves of my orgasm washed over me.

Exhausted, he withdrew from me and went to sit on the steps leading down into the water. I allowed myself to float on my back until I had regained some of my strength. Then I swam over to where Snape was sitting. The bottom half of his body was underwater. With a coy smile, I snaked my hands between his legs and began to stroke his shaft. He grew hard again immediately. I ducked my head beneath the water and took him in my mouth. I swirled my tongue around his shaft and rubbed his balls. I moved up and down his shaft, sucking. Then I guess I forgot I was underwater because I inhaled through m nose and came up sputtering and coughing.

Snape looked as if he were trying hard not to laugh. When I was done choking he pulled me to him and kissed me. I could feel his cock throb against my leg, begging for my attention. I straddled him and used my hands to guide his shaft into me. I lowered myself onto his cock. I rode him, faster and faster, pressing myself against him. The water sloshed in the tub as I rode him wildly. I felt him explode inside of me and I continued to ride him until I had my third orgasm of the night.

I was completely spent. Snape held me in his arms a few minutes, his breathing still heavy. Then he kissed my forehead.

"Come on. We should go back down to the dungeons," he murmured. "Before one of us drowns."

I chuckled.

"Yeah, that might be difficult to explain."

**Snape's POV**

We dressed quickly and hurried back downstairs, hoping we wouldn't run into anybody. I felt an immense load of guilt for doing what we had done. What if we had gotten caught? What if a ghost had floated into the room? What if a ghost _had _floated into the room- I surely would not have noticed. Previous Prefects had complained that Moaning Myrtle would spy on them in their baths. …The poor ghost was probably traumatized for eternity if she had been spying on us.

When we were safely back in my office, I breathed a sigh of relief. Olivia collapsed in her chair, looking pleasantly exhausted. I took a moment to add some protective enchantments to my door before sitting at my desk. I stared at the pile of work in front of me and sighed.

"I at least have to come up with two Prefects. I should've done it a week ago," I said. "Perhaps a fifth year. Then I will have another two years before I have to do this again."

"I hate to say it, but Malfoys a fifth year, isn't he?" Olivia suggested. "Why not him and that stuck-up girl?"

"The Parkinson girl? She is rather smart. And she likes telling people what to do," I said, nodding thoughtfully. "And making Draco Prefect will please Lucius…"

"Why is it always about pleasing Lucius?" she asked with a yawn.

"If you recall," I said with a smirk. "It isn't _always _about pleasing Lucius."

She blushed and smiled slightly. "So you've got your two names, right? Now we can go to bed?"

"I think so."

**Olivia's POV**

The next morning when we awoke it was nearing 9 a.m. We dressed quickly and went out into his office. He sat behind his desk and I sat in he chair in front of it so it wouldn't appear as if we'd been doing anything out of the ordinary. As it so happened, this was a wise move, because within five minutes of our emerging from his private quarters, there was a knock at the door.

"Come in," Snape said without hesitation.

The door opened and in walked Albus Dumbledore.

"Good morning Severus- and Olivia. What are you doing here?" he inquired.

"I stopped by to see Severus before I went to work this morning," I said, thinking quickly.

"Aha… Well, I am glad you are here. What I have to say could concern you."

"Sir?" I said, noticing he looked grave.

"What's wrong?" Snape asked.

"I'm worried about Hagrid. He and Madame Maxime have been gone for quite some time and it's been weeks since their last report."

"Well you know they were followed by Ministry workers and they can't use any magic. Maybe they're lying low somewhere, in some cave," Snape said.

"Am I missing something here?" I asked.

"Hagrid has gone to parlay with the giants," Snape explained. "And he took Madam Maxime along with him."

"During his last letter Hagrid said they'd spotted Death Eaters-"

"-They could still be lying low," Snape interjected. "I haven't heard anything otherwise."

"-I want someone to go and check on them," he continued. "Just one person- less conspicuous and easier to hide."

"Well I can't go. The journey there would take at least a week by broom, and school starts back soon. Or I could be recognized-"

"I actually wasn't thinking of you, Severus," the headmaster said, his eyes on me.

"Me?" I said, surprised.

"_What_?" Snape snapped.

"Olivia has proven herself time and time again. I think she is ready for a solo assignment."

"But…but…what about school?" Snape asked. "And with Umbridge coming to teach..."

"Olivia is one of the brightest witches in her year- I'm sure she can catch up. And lie to Ministry officials. You've taught her Occlumency, haven't you?"

Snape nodded weakly.

"Do you think you can handle it, Olivia?" the headmaster asked me.

"Yes sir…but if it's all the same to you, I'd like the chance to discuss it with Severus first."

"Of course. Let me know when you've made your decision and I will debrief you on what you will need to do."

"Yes sir," I said. He nodded to us both, then left.

"He says that like he assumes you will let me go," I remarked.

Snape looked conflicted.

"I'm not going to try and tell you what to do- I know better," Snape said. "But…I don't see why it has to be you! There are plenty of Order members who could go."

"…So I can go?" I asked.

"…Two whole weeks, Olivia! At _least_," he said, clearly distressed. "We won't see each other for two weeks."

"I know… We'll have to head home tonight and compensate for it before I leave," I said with a sly smile.

"After last night…you're going to kill me, you know that?"

"Not kill- maybe incapacitate or seriously injure, depending on how rough it gets- but not kill."

He chuckled.

"Alright then. Go talk to Dumbledore and go to work. I will see you at home tonight."

I headed up to Dumbledore's office and knocked on his door.

"Come in," he said pleasantly.

"Ah, Olivia. Come, sit," he offered. "So Severus relented?"

"Yes sir," I said, sitting down.

"I know Severus thinks you shouldn't go. But you are a talented witch- more so than some of the Order. And you are one of our best flyers."

"I will do whatever I can to help the Order," I said confidently.

"I know you will," he replied.

Dumbledore told me the location of he giants' village and gave me a rolled up map on which he had plotted out the route I should take. He explained to me a little about the giants- their system within the tribe, their traditions.

"But you shouldn't have to get near them, unless they have kidnapped Hagrid and Maxime- which isn't likely. Kidnapping isn't something they normally do," he said. "Just look for signs of Hagrid and Maxime- perhaps in caves. I will send my best owl with you. Send reports as often as you can. Come with me to the Owlery so you can meet Verne, the owl."

I followed Dumbledore out of his office and up the stairs to the Owlery. There he whistled, calling down a black owl. The owl alighted on his shoulder. His breast feathers were flecked with white and he had bright, assessing eyes.

"Verne has been here since he was an egg. I've ever known him to get lost. He is the fastest and most agile bird I know, apart from Fawkes the Phoenix. He is also very skilled in stealth. He's practically invisible when he flies at night, due to his coloring," the headmaster told me. The owl hooted affectionately at the praise.

"Verne, tomorrow morning you will travel with Olivia to the mountains. Stay with her as much as you can, and always return to her."

The owl hooted and bobbed his head, like he understood. The headmaster glanced at his watch, then back up at me.

"You should go, lest you be late for work."

"What about Healer Mycroft? What am I to tell him? I'll be gone for a good while…"

"I will send him an owl tomorrow telling him you've had a family member fall ill in Ireland. Just stick to that and you'll be fine."

"Yes sir."

**Author's Note: **Aah, exciting, isn't it? Our little Olivia gets to go on a mission all of her own? Please read and review, folks, and hopefully I will have the next chapter up soon. Also, if anyone would like to give me an idea for what Olivia could get Snape for Christmas…or vice versa? I have a bit of an idea, but thought I'd ask you guys' creative opinions. Just write it in a review or PM me if you have any ideas…and if I use your idea, I will give you a special thanks at the beginning of the chapter! J Thanks in advance guys!

~LilReporterGirl


	44. Year 7 Chapter 10

**Author's Note: **Hey guys! Long time no see! I'm sorry I haven't updated in MONTHS but I lost a binder with my written fanfic stuff in it when I was moving back in to Mom's house and I JUST found it, like yesterday. So I will be trying to post more, more often. In the meantime, I know you're ready to start reading again so I'll just get on with it.

**Snape's POV**

I returned to Spinner's End around seven o'clock that evening but Olivia had not yet returned from work. I went upstairs and took a shower. When I went back downstairs there was a dark-colored owl perched on the back of my chair in the sitting room. There was no note attached to its leg. It looked like one of Dumbledore's owls. The owl didn't' seem to be particularly interested in me. His black eyes gazed straight ahead, looking content on the back of my chair like he owned it. I suspected this had something to do with Olivia and elected to sit on the couch and wait for her.

When Olivia finally arrived late that night she looked tired, but pleased. She flopped down next to me on the couch, not noticing the bird.

"They brought in a bloke today that had been mauled pretty viciously by something. It took us a while to figure out he had been trading Quintaped eggs illegally and one of them had unexpectedly hatched in his pocket," she told me.

Just then the owl clicked his beak and Olivia perked up.

"Verne," she said surprised. The owl flew to her shoulder and sat.

"He's been here for hours," I said.

"He belongs to Dumbledore. He's sending him with me."

"When do you leave?"

"First thing in the morning," she said. "I need to pack my bag."

Verne stayed on Olivia's shoulder as she climbed the stairs and went into her room. I followed and sat on her bed as she went through her closed, putting clothes and stuff into a knapsack. Verne alighted on a bedpost and leered down at me. His intense stare made me feel uneasy, reminding me somehow of Dumbledore's gaze.

"I don't think your owl likes me," Is aid when she was finished packing.

"You're so silly," she said, coming over and kissing me on the lips. As if to prove a point, the owl hooted loudly.

"It's a Dumbledore owl," I protested.

"Don't be ridiculous, Severus," she said, smiling. She sat beside me on the bed and Verne screeched. Olivia and I exchanged a look and we both stood to leave the room.

"Stay, Verne," Olivia said and shut the door behind us. From inside, we heard the owl hoot indignantly and we both laughed.

"Shall we go to your room?" she asked me with a sly smile.

"You read my mind."

**Olivia's POV**

I awoke early the next morning, tired and sore from my night spent with Snape. I needed to leave before the sun rose and I still had a few things I still needed to pack so I slipped out of Snape's embrace. He stirred a little, but didn't wake. I smiled at him fondly and stretched, then left his rom quietly.

I packed the last of what I needed, which included my toothbrush hairbrush and some potions ingredients I thought might come in handy. I dressed in jean shorts, a t-shirt and tennis shoes. I tucked my wand into my pocket and went to tell Snape goodbye.

He was still sleeping soundly, exactly as I had left him. I kissed his lips gently.

"I've got to go," I murmured to him. He moved a little but didn't open his eyes.

"Don't go," he murmured, still asleep.

"I have to. I love you Severus."

"I love you, too," he mumbled. "Lily."

My heart jumped into my throat and I froze. I forced myself to try and be understanding. I said nothing, but left the room and went downstairs where Verne was waiting.

Verne and I took off from the backyard, ascending high into the clouds quickly. The first faint colors of the sunrise were on the Eastern horizon, but I couldn't enjoy the sight. My heart still felt heavy. He had called me Lily. I knew he loved her, of course. I accepted that. But there was a question that lurked in the back of my mind that I refused to answer- Did he only love me because I reminded him of her?

Verne flew level with my broomstick, his feathers rustling in the rush of wind. I tried to relax and forget about Snape. I was flying again! And this time I was off on an adventure, a secret mission, for Dumbledore.

When it started to get lighter out, I Disillusioned myself and my broomstick so there was an even lesser chance of getting spotted. I flew slow so I could look at the map while I traveled. Every now and then I dipped down below the clouds to check out my surroundings. Every time I dived down, Verne remained above the clouds, as if he knew to be extra careful about being spotted.

**Snape's POV**

I awoke with the feeling I had lost something. That's when I realized Olivia was gone. I had a dim recollection of her leaving, but I had been half-asleep, dreaming. I felt lost and sad. I wouldn't see her for at least two weeks. We hadn't been away from each other that long since she first came to stay with me.

I tried to find something to do but it was useless. The house was too quiet, too empty-feeling. How had I ever managed all those years alone? I tried brewing a potion, just to busy my mind, but this too proved futile. Without Olivia there beside me, I felt incomplete. We worked so well together, like a well-oiled machine. Now a piece of my machine was missing.

I let the potion burn, then vanished the contents of the cauldron.

I think it was then that it really hit me. I really and truly loved this girl, and I couldn't live without her. I wanted so badly to jump on my broomstick and go after her, it was almost unbearable. But I couldn't. School would start in a few days and it wouldn't do for Hagrid and I _both _to be absent, not with that Ministry woman coming to teach. No, I had to be there for Dumbledore and accept the fact that Olivia would be okay on her own. She was a grown witch, after all. She could take care of herself.

I stayed at Hogwarts the last few days before school started back, not wanting to stay at Spinner's End, where I would constantly be reminded of Olivia's absence.

The evening of September 1st I wen for a walk around the grounds before the feast. I was trying to keep my mind off of Olivia and also of off the Umbridge woman who had turned out to be even more horrid that I expected. She was short, squat and she wore nothing but pink. And she thought she was better than Albus and had already been trying to tell him how to run the school.

I was down by the lake when an owl descended out of nowhere and landed in a tree. He looked a lot like the owl Albus had given Olivia… I watched as the owl looked around the grounds intently. He took off suddenly and as he flew over mea folded piece of parchment dropped to the ground by my feet.

I picked up the parchment and my heart leapt to see Olivia's handwriting. I glanced back up at the sky, but the owl had vanished. I looked down at the letter.

_Severus,_

_I had to send Verne with a report for Dumbledore, so I thought I would drop you a letter too and let you know I'm alright. I'm staying in a motel at the moment to get some sleep. I'm on one of the cities on Dumbledore's map, not far now. I'll leave tonight…though who knows how long it will take Verne to deliver these letters. He really is a brilliant bird, though. Why don't we have an owl?_

_I miss you more than I can say. I'll be thinking about you on September first. It feels so weird, not being there for school. I miss you and I love you. Stay safe._

_Love,_

_Olivia_

I closed my eyes and held the letter close to my heart, not caring if I looked foolish. Then I folded the note to put in my pocket, but not before I kissed the note, inhaling deeply, hoping for some lingering scent of her perfume or raspberry shampoo but there was nothing.

Throughout dinner that evening I kept one hand in my pocket, fingering the folded letter. I barely paid attention during the Sorting. Even Umbridge's speech about Ministry interference at Hogwarts didn't affect me like it should have, and when Albus wanted to talk about it later in his office, it was obvious I hadn't paid attention.

"Are you alright, Severus?" he asked.

"Fine. Just tired," I mumbled in reply. "I didn't sleep well last night."

As I walked down to my office, I thought about Olivia's letter and found myself wondering if, somewhere, she was thinking about me, too.

Back in my chambers I looked at myself in the mirror, at the dark circles around my eyes and the worry lines on my face.

"You really are slipping, Severus," I said to my reflection.

**Olivia's POV**

The day Verne returned to me after delivering my letters was the same day I first saw the giants. I was disappointed to see the owl had no responses for me- no letter from Snape, not even words of encouragement from Dumbledore or confirmation that Verne hadn't been intercepted. I didn't take it out on the owl, however, who looked exhausted from his journey. I gave him a treat and let him perch on my broom for a while and rest. After all, it wasn't Verne's fault all the men in my life were insensitive butt holes.

It was that evening when I first saw the giants. They were spread out in a valley with fires here and there. At first I thought it was some sort of human campsites, then they started moving. They looked like bits of mountain or boulders moving. They were _huge_, some 20, 25 feet tall. I made sure to fly above their line of vision. Giants were very wary of magic.

Verne and I landed on a ledge from which we could watch the giants and not be seen. I searched for any sign of Hagrid and Maxime, even though it was dark out and thought it unlikely I would spot them.

I learned quickly that just because there is firelight coming from a cave does _not _mean Hagrid is there. There were several rogue giants who huddled in the caves, who didn't seem to be part of the valley group.

I spent several days watching the giants, looking for any sign of Hagrid and Maxime. I soon learned I wasn't the only one there. Death Eaters, masks and all, frequently visited the giants. At night they went poking about in caves, probably looking for Hagrid and Maxime as well.

I spent most of my time in my Animagus form, poking about in caves. When I slept, I slept in caves too mall for giants to fit in.

It was probably my fifth day there when I found Hagrid and Maxime. They were huddled in a cave together, no fire. As soon as I transformed into my human form, Maxime pointed her wand at m, a fiery look in her eye.

"It's okay, Olympe," Hagrid siad quickly, soothing her. "Tha's Olivia Cain. She's a student."

Maxime relaxed a little and lowered her wand.

"Professor Dumbledore wanted me to come and check on you. You haven't sent a report in a while."

"We couldn't risk it with Death Eaters on the lookout for us," Hagrid said.

"I've seen them," Isaid with a nod. "I've been staying in my Animagus form. I don't think they know I'm here."

Hagrid told me they had befriended the leader of the giants. Then another chief had taken over, one who didn't like them, who listened to the Death Eaters more.

"At night we've been going from cave to cave, trying to convince as many of the rogues as we can to join Dumbldore," Hagrid said. "We've convinced maybe three so far."

"That's good then. …I'll let Dumbledore know you're okay."

It was getting dark out when I left Hagrid and Maxime's cave so I headed back to my cave. I decided I would rest a bit, then head straight home. I couldn't wait to see Snape…

I was awakened a few hours later by a hand grabbing my by the scruff of my neck and dragging me out of my cave. I tried to twist and bite to break free of my attacker, but I felt a wand being pressed against my throat. Suddenly, I was forced to return to my human form. Someone had me by my hair now and every time I tried to turn to see who it was, they tightened their grip.

"I know who you are," hissed a sickeningly familiar voice in my ear.

I was released and pushed to the ground. I stared up at the looming figure of Lucius Malfoy who held his wand aloft, illuminating his face with blue light. I was uncomfortably aware of the fact that my wand was still in the cave.

"I know who you are," Lucius said again. "But I do not know why you are here…"

I said nothing. My heart was pounding, my mind racing. One wrong move and I was dead…or worse.

"I could kill you quite easily," he said nonchalantly. "No one would ever know. No one would find your body."

I tried to keep my voce calm, but inside I was shaking.

"Severus would find out. He would kill you," I said defiantly.

"Oh would he?" he said with a chuckle. "I'm not so sure. Now tell me, _Olivia_…Why are you here?"

"I'm here because Dumbledore is stupid enough to think he can trust me. Because he trusts Severus. He sent me to find Hagrid."

"So where are they?" he asked somewhat tauntingly.

"If I knew, I would tell you. These scent trails are all old. Maybe they've moved on, maybe they headed back already. Maybe the giants killed them and ate them weeks ago."

Lucius laughed again.

"No. they aren't dead. Not yet," he said with a grin. "…Let me ask you this, _Olivia_…"

I hated the way he said my name and they his eyes moved hungrily over my body.

"-If your loyalties do not lie with Albus Dumbledore…Why not reveal yourself to us?"

"I did not see a need to. I didn't expect anyone down there would know me. They would have no reason to trust me," I said. "And besides…my loyalties lie with Severus."

He laughed again.

"If I wanted to, I could make you forget about Severus. I could do things to you you've never even _dreamed _of. …Severus already claimed you, though. He always did have a problem sharing. Pity," he said, looking me over.

"You're a pig," I spat at him.

With a swift movement he ha me by the hair again, this time with me facing him.

"The things I could do to you…" he said, his face inches from mine, close enough to smell his foul breath and see the cold look in his steely gray eyes. "I could have you. Have you and make you forget it ever happened… But I won't do that. After all, if you can't remember it, well where is the fun in that? But someday I will have you. You will succumb to me."

"Never," I said defiantly, to his face.

He laughed softly, then kissed me. I struggled against him and when he tried to put his tongue in my mouth I bit down as hard as I could.

I received a swift kick to the ribs and was thrown to the ground. He struck me hard across the face.

"Little bitch," he said, spitting out blood on my face. "Go! If you have any sense at all you will Disapparate back to Dumbledore and tell him everything is fine and you won't mention this to anyone."

He aimed another kick at m as I crawled back into the cave for my wand. This kick caught me in the side As my fingers closed over my wand in the dark, I Disapparated.


	45. Year 7 Chapter 11

**Snape's POV**

I was startled awake one evening as I sat at my desk by a knock on the door. I'd slipped into a daydream about Olivia and when the knock came I nearly fell out of my chair.

"Enter," I said.

Dumbledore stuck his head into my office.

"Olivia is back. Down by the gate," he said.

I leapt up and followed him down the stairs quickly. I was practically running when we reached the grounds. Albus unlocked the gate with his wand as we approached. Olivia came through the gate and ran at me, putting her arms around me. I held her tight, until I became uncomfortably aware of the headmaster's gaze. Olivia took a step back and by the light of the moon I could see a bruise on her face.

"What happened?" I asked, gently touching the spot. She winced.

"Stupid bloody Death Eaters, that's what," she muttered.

"You were attacked by Death Eaters?" I demanded.

"Well not exactly…" she said slowly.

"Wait," Albus said. "Here is not the place to discuss this. Come, my office."

As luck would have it, we met Umbridge on the stairs. I cursed inwardly. I hadn't' wanted her attention drawn to Olivia so quickly.

"Well now who do we have here? I haven't seen you in any of my classes," Umbridge said.

"This is Olivia Cain. She's been out of the country- her uncle has been quite ill. We cleared Olivia's absence with the Ministry when her uncle first took ill," the headmaster said.

"She'll have quite a bit of catching up to do, won't she?" Umbridge said with one of her toad-like grins.

"Miss Cain is one of our brightest students. She has been Severus' apprentice since her second year. She interned at St. Mungo's over the summer and will contiue to do so this year, on the weekends and perhaps in the afternoons."

"That's a lot to take on, isn't it?" Umbridge said.

" Olivia can handle it," Dumbledore said confidently. "We are off to discuss her schedule now."

Umbridge smiled somewhat coldly at him, then looked to Olivia.

"See you in class, my dear," she said to her.

"Nice to meet you, Professor," Olivia said in her sweet, quiet schoolgirl voice.

Umbridge went on downstairs. None of us spoke until the three of us were alone in Albus' office.

"Was that the new Defense teacher?" Olivia asked in her normal voice.

"Yes. Dolores Umbridges, senior undersecretary to the Minister," said Albus with one of his small, quirky smiles.

"In other words, she's Fudge's spy? And I should suck up to her?" Olivia said.

"Yes that's probably best…but enough about her. What happened?" I asked her.

"Did you find Hagrid?" Albus asked.

"Yes. He and Maxime are hiding out. The Death Eaters are everywhere out there. Most of the giants seem to like their ideas better. …Hagrid's trying to convince some of the rogues, but it's not easy. The Death Eaters definitely know they are there. They spent the nights searching for them. Hagrid said not to worry, though."

"But the Death Eaters found you?" I asked her.

"Well sort of… tonight Malfoy came to me. Wanted to know why I was there. I came up with something brilliant, about you being stupid enough to trust me, because you trust Severus. Told him I didn't know where Hagrid was. Then he sort of threatened me a bit and told me to go home."

"But he hit you?" Albus asked.

"What do you mean he 'threatened you a bit'?" I demanded, my voice rising an octave.

"Well he…he said some things…and…" she was looking at the floor, her cheeks tinged pink. "He…he _kissed_ me. I fought against him and I bit him. That's when he hit me."

My blood boiled and I literally saw red. I stood and went for the door.

"Severus, where are you going?" the headmaster said.

"I'm going to kill him. I'm going to find Lucius and chop him up into little bloody pieces, then I'm going to curse those pieces into oblivion," I said, seething.

"No you are not," Albus said calmly and firmly. "Sit down."

I hesitated and considered for once in my life, not doing what Albus said. Then I let out a frustrated hiss and sat back down.

"We need your continued friendship with Lucius, Severus," he said. "You will act as if you know nothing."

"but Albus, look at her _face_," I protested.

"Nothing that can't be fixed with a little ointment," he said cheerfully.

"That's not even he worst one," Olivia said, sounding a little proud. "Look at this."

She lifted her shirt to show us her bruised ribs.

"I'm going to kill him," I said again, touching her blackened ribs. Goosebumps broke out on her flesh at my touch.

"Now Severus. Violence never solved anything," Albus said.

"Saved my butt tonight, didn't it?" Olivia said.

He had no response for this.

"We do need to discuss your schedule, while you are here," Albus said to her. "You do wish to continue interning at St. Mungo's, don't you?"

"Of course," she replied.

It was decided that Olivia would take Potions, Care of Magical Creatures, Transfiguration and Defense. She would work Wednesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons, as well as weekends at St. Mungo's.

"why don't you walk Olivia to her Common Room, Severus. I'm sure she is ready to get some rest," Albus said. I nodded in agreement.

We hadn't even reached the dungeons when I found myself unable to take it any longer. I pulled her into a deserted classroom and kissed her desperately. Amongst our fevered kissing, I felt silent, warm tears streaming down her face. I stopped kissing her and held her close while she buried her face in my shoulder.

"I am going to kill him. Lucius. Maybe not right away, but someday…" I said quietly.

"No," she said, her voice surprisingly strong and unfaltering. "I have the feeling that task will one day be mine."

We were silent a while and I just stood there, holding her, unwilling to let her go.

"I missed you," I murmured, my face buried in her red hair that for once didn't smell like raspberries. Her hair smelled like dirt and sweat, from her time spent in the mountain caves.

"Why didn't you write, then? When I sent Verne back?" she asked me.

"The owl did not give me a chance to respond. And it was September 1st, right before the feast."

She nodded slowly.

"We should go," she said. "Before somebody finds us here."

"I want so badly to be with you," I murmured. "To sleep beside you. Hold you in my arms…But I can't risk it. Not with Umbridge here."

"Don't worry. There will be time. It's almost the weekend. I have to work, but then… we could go home. No one would know."

"We could do that…"

I walked down to the dungeons with Olivia, without running into anybody.

"Come see me in the morning before breakfast. I will take care of your bruises."

She nodded silently, regarding me with those emerald eyes.

"Goodnight Severus."

"Goodnight."

The look that passed between us made clear that what we both wanted to say, but couldn't, was _I love you_.

**Olivia's POV**

All night long I had nightmares about Lucius. When Alexandria woke me up the next morning I was sweating and shaking.

"Are you alright, Liv? Where have you been all week? …Are you _crying_?"

"What? No," I said, sitting up and wiping my face.

"Snape wouldn't tell me anything. Something about you visiting your ill uncle. I thought you didn't have any other family?"

"I don't. But that's what everyone should think," I said quietly. "I've been doing something top secret. Something I can't tell _anyone _about."

"For Snape?"

I glanced around quickly before answering.

"For Dumbledore," I whispered.

Her eyes got big and a solemn look came over her.

"You know everyone think he is crazy, right? Everyone in Slytherin, at least, and some in other Houses. But they've been saying some pretty mean things about him, even in the paper, and this Ministry woman-"

"Umbridge," I said grimly. "I met her."

"You should have heard her speech at the beginning of the year. She interrupted Dumbledore…talking about discouraging progress for the sake of progress. She's taken everyone back to the basics in Defense, even us seventh-years-"

"_What_?" I demanded. "We're not learning to Defend ourselves?"

"We're not allowed to use any magic at all," she said soberly.

"But… We've got to learn to defend ourselves. The Dark Lord _is _out there, Alexandria."

"Well yeah, but… I mean, we're Slytherins. We're purebloods. We're safe, aren't we?"

"No one is safe," I said quietly.

We were silent a moment and Alexandria looked uneasy.

"Come on, let's go up to breakfast," she said hastily.

No one took much notice in my return. The few that did I told them I'd been with my ill uncle.

"So what classes do you have, do you know yet?" Alexandria asked me casually as she sprinkled salt over her eggs.

"I've only a few. I'll be interning still at St. Mungo's during most afternoons and on weekends for the work experience."

About five minutes later Snape came into the hall. He came up the Slytherin table and wordlessly handed me my formal schedule.

"There you are," I said to Alex. "I've got Care of Magical Creatures first thing this morning."

"You're on your own there. I didn't stick with it because I thought Hagrid was still teacher. When I found out it was that Grubbly-Plank woman I thought about switching my schedule, but I didn't dare ask Snape."

"Why not? He'd probably change your schedule for you."

"He's just seemed…really stressed the last few days. It seemed best not to bother him," she said and leaned over to read my schedule. "Looks like the only class we have together today is Defense."

"What fun," I said sarcastically, glancing up to the staff table where Umbridge sat.

"You know she gave Potter detention? For a whole week?" Alexandria asked me.

"Potter? In detention? For someone other than Severus?" I said, surprised. "What did he do?"

"Talked about _You-Know-Who-_" she whispered. "-being back. And about Diggory. The rest of us learned pretty quick to keep our mouths shut…which I've always been good at anyway."

"I've got to be nice to her. Severus told me to…"

"It will be difficult. For you, I mean. If you thought Moody was infuriating, just wait until her first class."

" 'Moody' was actually a deranged Death Eater in disguise who was trying to return the Dark Lord to power and kill Potter," I said. "I'd say that goes beyond infuriating."

Care of Magical Creatures class that morning was not nearly as…_entertaining _as a class with Hagrid usually was. Professor Grubbly-Plank taught us about Crups- creatures that greatly resembled Jack Russell terriers, but with two tails. We sat in the grass outside and read the chapter in our books on them, then listened to Grubbly-Plank talk. She ended the lesson by saying she was going to try and borrow a Crup from a friend at the Ministry for our next lesson, which left me excited.

Grubbly-Plank was the only teacher not to give me make up work and extra homework so I could catch up with my classmates. McGonagall, being a member of the Order who knew what I had been up to, didn't give me near as much work as I would have expected.

I spent my lunch period absently munching on a bit of toast while working on an essay for Flitwick. After lunch, I followed Alexandria and the others upstairs to the Defense classroom. Umbridge took no notice of me, or at least pretended not to, as she started the class. She wrote an assignment on the chalkboard- Read Chapter 7, then complete an essay on the theory of Shield Charms. The class started working without comment.

Everyone was silent throughout the class period. No raised hands, no questions, not even a whisper. I'd never seen a class be quiet for so long, not even for Snape. Nobody even whispered. At the end of the lesson, everyone turned in their work and sat back down. When the bell rang, nobody moved a muscle until Umbridge smiled in a sickly sweet manner and said "class dismissed."

As I stood to leave, Umbridge approached my desk, a bit of parchment in hand.

"Here is your make up work, Miss Cain," she said, still smiling.

"Thank you, Professor," I said, taking the paper form her. My heart sank when I saw the amount of work she'd given me.

"I expect them within the week. Think you can handle that?"

"I will certainly try my best, Professor."

"Good…off you go then," she said. I nodded and left quickly, even though I had a free class period next.

I spent my free period doing homework and even skipped dinner that evening, thinking that if I got hungry later I could always go up to the kitchens. After dinner, when everyone started trickling noisily back into the Common Room, I found it impossible to concentrate. So I shoved all my books and lists back into my schoolbag, slung it over my shoulder, and headed down the hall to Snape's office.

"I wondered where you were," he said when I opened the door to his office. "You missed dinner."

"I know… I was taking advantage of the peace and quiet and trying to get some of this work done. Which is why I'm here- can I sit here and do some of my makeup work? The Common Room is too noisy."

"Of course you can sit here," he responded. "I've got papers to grade myself, so you won't bother me any…not that you ever bother me."

"Thanks," I said with a small smile.

**Snape's POV**

One evening, the weekend after Umbridge had been appointed High Inquisitor, I headed up to Dumbledore's office. A thought had been brewing in my mind since June and it had been intensifying since Umbridge wasn't letting the students use magic.

Albus was in his office when I got there, sitting at his desk.

"I need to talk to you," I said, making sure we were alone. I shut the door and sat down.

"What's on your mind, Severus?" he inquired. I hesitated a moment before responding.

"I want to teach Olivia Defense Against the Dark Arts," I said.

"Ah. I knew this would come eventually."

"…You did?"

"Yes. I think it's an excellent idea. And necessary. In fact, I would have suggested it myself before long."

"Really?"

He nodded.

"She will not have a chance to learn after this year, since it's her last year, and with the Dark Lord out there…and with your being so close to Him… He is close to her," Albus said. "I would not put her in that position without the proper means of defending herself."

I nodded slowly and silently.

"So what do we do?" I said finally. "If Umbridge finds out…"

"I know. I've been pondering that and I think I've come up with a solution."

"What?" I asked eagerly.

"The Room of Requirement."

"The Room of…that old legend?"

"It isn't a legend," he said with a chuckle. "I found it myself. On the seventh floor, across from the tapestry depicting Barnabas the Barmy teaching trolls ballet. Just walk past the stretch of wall three times, thinking about what you need and it will appear. And no one else can get in."

"That's perfect!" I exclaimed.

"Yes…you must only train her at night- late at night, when everyone else is sure ot be asleep. You can get past Filch and even Umbrdige, but Olivia cannot."

As soon as I left the headmaster's office, I headed upstairs to the seventh floor to check it out. I found the tapestry and paced back and forth in front of the adjacent wall. As I paced I thought to myself, _I need a place to train Olivia_.

Even though I trusted Albus and didn't doubt him, it still surprised me when, the third time I walked by the wall, a polished door appeared. I looked around quickly to make sure there was no one else in the corridor, then quickly slipped inside.

The dungeon-like room was lit with torches. The walls were lined with bookcases filled with books on defensive spells. Large, purple cushions sat on the floor, in place of chairs. A table in the corner held several Dark Detectors, including a Foe Glass.

_Perfect_, I thought to myself.

**Olivia's POV**

The next day during Potions, I couldn't help but notice Snape seemed to be in a slightly more cheerful mood than usual- something probably only I could detect. He didn't even deduct Slytherin house points when Jess Chalker accidentally poisoned himself with fumes from his cauldron. He'd confused dragon's blood with salamander blood, despite their different appearances. Snape merely vanished the potion and sent the idiotic boy to the hospital wing. He caught my eye and smiled slightly.

Towards the end of the lesson when everyone was putting their things away, Snape made his way to my desk.

"Stay after the bell rings," he said quietly. I nodded silently and he moved away.

The five minutes before the bell rang felt like five hours. When my classmates finally left they certainly didn't drag their feet- there are few who would after a lesson with Snape- but it felt like they did. Finally, the last student left and Snape shut the door. He turned to face me.

"What's up?" I asked curiously and somewhat excited at whatever had put Snape in a good mood.

"How would you like to learn Defense Against the Dark Arts in a more…practical way."

"From who? You?"

"Yes."

"…How's that going to work out?"

"Albus has already agreed to it."

"But what about Umbrdige?" I asked, not wanting to get my hopes up. "She'll go nuts. You'll be sacked. Dumbledore will be sacked."

"Only if she finds out…which she won't."

He told me quickly about the Room of Requirement, which I had read about but never believed to be true.

"This is…almost too good to be true," I siad. "When do we start?"

"I thought tonight would be good. Around eleven?"

"Works for me."

"Good. Now I have to prepare for my next class. I will see you tonight. Bring your wand and your skills."

"Of course," I replied, flashing him a smile.

I left Snape's office and headed upstairs, wanting to check out this Room of Requirement. I had a free class period so I wasn't in any particular hurry. I passed a group of sullen-looking Gryffindor third years, probably making their way to Snape's class.

When I reached the seventh floor, I realized I recognized the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy. There was a secret passageway behind it that led to the portrait room, which was probably a safer route from the dungeons, especially if I were to be coming at night. Also, it put me right in front of where Snape said the Room of Requirement was located.

To gain entrance, Snape said I would have to walk in front of the wall three times, thinking to myself that we needed a place to train. I did as instructed and a polished door appeared.

The room was chock full of books on Defense, which excited me more than anything else. I immediately began browsing the books. I pulled several from the shelves and sat on one of the cushions in the middle of the floor.

I read until it was time for dinner. I put the books in my bag and headed downstairs. I took the secret passageway this time and dropped my bag off in the dormitory before heading up to the Great Hall.

In the Great Hall, I was careful to avoid eye contact with Snape, so as not to risk drawing Umbidge's attention. After dinner, I returned to the Common Room and read for a while in my favorite chair by the fireplace. When it started to get late I went into the dormitory and pretended to go to sleep. Once it died down a bit, I slipped out of bed, applied my Disillusionment charm, and left.

The Common Room was empty and not difficult to sneak out of…not that anyone would have cared anyway.

**Snape's POV**

After dinner that evening, Albus told me discreetly that he wanted to see me in his office after I was finished eating. Albus left and I waited until Umbridge had finished and left the Great Hall to make my way up to his office.

Once there, I shut the door behind me and for good measure, put a charm on the door to ensure our conversation remained private.

"When do you plan to have your first lesson with Olivia?" Albus asked as I sat down.

"Tonight," I answered.

"Do you have a plan?"

"Sort of. The basics of defense- Shield Charms and disarming, though I'm sure she's already quite skilled. Her Occlumency and Legilimency are already good, too. I will teach her about Unforgivable Curses eventually, Inferi…"

"Sounds good. However, instead of just teaching her how to defend herself…I think it ma be prudent for her to actually lean to perform these spells."

"…_What_?"

"Eventually, the Dark Lord will come to take notice of her. He may even call on her to join his ranks. You know this. Therefore, I think it's a good idea for it to look like you have been training her in the Dark Arts. Teach her some curses- use practice dummies. Teach her about poisons…"

"Albus," I groaned. "…You know I _really _don't want to do this."

"You are the only one who _can _do it, Severus. Would you rather Lord Voldemort have someone like Bellatrix Lestrange teach her?"

"…Bellatrix is in Azkaban," I pointed out.

"I don't think she will be for much longer. I am sure He will construct a mass breakout of his followers before the end of the year."

I sat there, silent.

"Severus, Olivia needs you," Albus continued on a softer note. "You know better than anyone how taxing it can be on ones soul to play the role that she might come to play. She will need you to guide her and keep her together."

"As if my soul is intact," I muttered. "…Alright fine. I will do it. But I shall resent it the entire time."

"Naturally."

"Poisons too?"

"Of course. Lord Voldemort knows she has a passion for potions. He would expect her to have a natural curiosity about poisons."

"Well she _is _naturally curious about poisons, but I haven't let her meddle in them."

"Well now I am giving her permission to," he said.

"I feel uneasy about this," I said.

"Of course you do, Severus," he said. "But it is all for the greater good."

Olivia was already in the Room of Requirement when I arrived. She was sitting on one of the cushions, reading a book.

"What took you so long?" she asked, marking her page.

"Making sure all the halls were clear and you hadn't been caught."

"I used a secret passageway from the portrait room," she replied.

"I was also talking to Albus. He wants…He thinks it would be a good idea for you to lean more than just defense. He feels it would be prudent for you to learn to perform some of these curses…and brew poisons."

"…Why?"

"Because…eventually the time will come when the Dark Lord will call on you to join His ranks," I said reluctantly.

Her face paled slightly and she didn't speak for a while.

"…We'll focus on the defensive aspect for now," I said, brushing her hair over her left shoulder. "And worry about the rest later."

She nodded slowly.

"Alright. Where do we start?" she asked.

"I figure we'll start with a review of the basics," I said and when she looked like she might scoff, I interrupted. "Now I don't doubt your ability. You know I don't. But it's been a while since you've had a decent chance to test them. We won't spend much time on it, at least tonight's lesson."

"Okay," she said with a nod.

"I figured we'd start with Stupefy and Expelliarmus, maybe move on to Flipendo…"

"Alright then- let's get started," she said enthusiastically.

**Olivia's POV**

After a few hours of practicing spells with Snape- Stunning and Disarming him repeatedly- I was exhausted. At first he had been reluctant to defend himself, just dodging my spells. But I was quick and he couldn't always dodge my spells. I felt bad whoever I hit him, running across the room to check on him. Finally I suggested that he could use a Shield Charm, which would rebound my curses back at me and give me a chance to dodge them.

"Are you sure you can move fast enough to dodge the rebound?" he asked, sounding a little concerned. "I wouldn't want to hurt you…"

"Hmph. Are you sure _you _can react fast enough to rebound my spells back at me?" I said tauntingly.

"Heh. You're on," he said, accepting my challenge.

It was around three o'clock when we finally called it quits.

"That was…really good," Snape said breathlessly, massaging his side where he had landed wrong.

"Are you okay?" I asked for what must have been the hundreth time.

"I'm fine," he insisted. "If I couldn't take a few hard hits…and I have certainly been hit a lot harder."

I smiled slightly.

"You know, I thought of something while we were dueling…"

"What's that?" he asked.

"Well… I could think of a better use for the Room of Requirement than Defense."

"Oh?" he said, a small smile playing on his lips. I motioned for him to follow me out of the Room. When the door disappeared behind us, I turned and walked before the slab of wall, thinking to myself _We need a place to be alone_.

A moment later a door appeared, not unlike the one that had just vanished. We stepped inside quickly and shut the door. The Room had changed. It was still dungeon-like with stone floors and walls and a low, swooping ceiling. All the defense equipment was gone however. A large feather bed dominated most of the room. It was hung in green and black satin, even the bedspread. All around the room the walls were hung with small lanterns that gave the room a green light.

The bookshelves were still there, though instead of books on defense there were books on sex. Books on Karma Sutra with detailed graphics that even made Snape blush.

I walked over to the bed. There was an oak bedside table with three drawers. I opened the first to find a variety of contraceptives, from potions to Muggle condoms. I was rather intrigued by the condoms, which ranged from flavored, to glow-in-the-dark, to textured. The second drawer contained a number of sex toys. I shut the drawer quickly, blushing. Curious, Snape came over from the bookshelf as I opened the last drawer. It contained several vials of potions that were unfamiliar to me.

"What are these?" I asked, looking up at him.

"Sex potions," he said with a smirk. He reached around me to pick up one of the vials.

"Like this," he continued. "Tingling Potion."

He uncorked the bottle and put a drop on his fingers. He rubbed the Tingling Potion on the exposed part of my neck.

"Nothing's happening," I commented.

"Activated by moisture," he siad and kissed the spot on my neck. The tingling sent a pleasant, warm feeling through my body. I turned to face him and took the vial of potion from him.

"I can have fun with this," I said and kissed him. Then I pushed him back onto the bed.

**Snape's POV**

Two mind-blowing orgasms later, I had to tell Olivia to stop. I was exhausted… I couldn't possibly continue.

"It's late and I'm exhausted. …There will be other nights," I murmured. She smiled and kissed me before getting up to find her clothes. I rolled out of the bed, sore. I bit back a groan and grit my teeth to keep from showing how tired I was.

We dressed in silence and left the Room of Requirement. This time we both used the passageway behind the tapestry, Olivia invisible and me walking a few yards ahead to keep an eye out for other teachers. I relaxed a little once I had delivered her safely to her Common Room, then made my way down to my office. I crawled into bed, stiff and sore from the evenings events.

_I'm getting too old for this_, I thought to myself as I drifted off to sleep.

After a few weeks of our using the Room of Requirement for our lessons- among other things- it became obvious that Olivia and I were not the only ones using the room. Potter and a large group of students had begun to meet there a few times a week. A quick scan of their minds told me they too were using it to learn Defense. When I told Albus, he merely beamed, looking quite pleased.

It appeared the Room could be occupied in more than one way at once, which was a good thing. And although Potter's group came in the early evening and only came a few days a week (their schedule was sporadic) Olivia and I used the Room less for the other thing…just to be safe.

Soon it was time for the first Quidditch match of the season- Slytherin versus Gryffindor. Umbridge almost hadn't let the Gryffindor team reform after an educational decree saying she had the power to disband student organizations. Of course, Minerva had taken the issue to Albus and the team had been allowed to play. Still, I felt confident Slytheriin would win. The Gryffindor Keeper, Oliver Wood, had graduated last year and they had replaced him as keeper by Ron Weasley. I'd seen them practice- Weasley was nervous and slipped up a lot. There was no way we could lose.

The morning of the match, I walked down to the field with Olivia. We talked about the changes in the line-up for both teams. She seemed doubtful of Crabbe and Goyle's abilities as Beaters.

"I doubt they'll even know which balls to hit," she muttered darkly.

"You know, you could've tried out for the team this year. Montague's the new captain- I know his father. I could've made them let you try out."

"It doesn't matter. I won't be here next year anyway," she scoffed.

"Oh yeah… I almost forgot," I said. "…What are you going to do."

"I haven't really thought about it. I guess it depends on what happens…with the Dark Lord. I guess I'll stay at St. Mungo's…continue with the Order…"

Neither of us spoke the rest of the way to the field.

"I'm going to sit the teachers," I said once we reached the stands. "I must."

She nodded in agreement.

"See you after the match," she said.

**Olivia's POV**

We all watched the match, spellbound. I couldn't help but be a little annoyed with my classmates continued harassment of Ron Weasley. Not because it was immoral or anything like that, but because their incessant singing kept me from being able to hear the commentary.

The match ended when Potter caught the Snitch, making Gryffindor the winners. As Potter descended onto the field, Crabbe swung his Beater's bat at a Bludger and hit Potter, knocking him off his broom. I leapt to my feet, peering down at the field, anxious to see if Potter was okay.

His team members landed around him and his captain pulled him to his feet Madam Hooch zoomed towards Crabbe, blowing her whistle. As she began to chew him out, Draco landed near Potter and his teammates. I couldn't hear their conversation from the stands, but it was obvious Draco was goading them. Potter was holding back George Weasley and Angelina Johnson held back Fred. Suddenly, Potter released George and they both attacked Draco, punching and scratching him. Madam Hooch used the Impedimenta Curse on them both and sent them off the field.

"Ooh they are _so _dead!" said one of my fellow Slytherins. They were all jeering and whooping. I sighed and rolled my eyes. I stood and left the stands, heading back up to the castle.

I waited until I saw a very morose-looking Crabbe and Goyle return to the Common Room before going to see Snape. I passed Umbridge in the hallway, though luckily she did not speak to me. She was grinning a wide, toad-like smile.

I hurried on to Snape's office where he sat, looking mildly annoyed.

"You okay?" I asked him.

"I guess…" he said. "There has been another Educational Decree-"

"Ugh, _another _one? What now?"

"she has the power to dole out- and change- any student's punishment."

"So what did she do to Crabbe and Goyle?"

"Lines. But guess what she did to Potter and the Weasleys?" he said, smirking.

"What?"

"They are banned from playing Quidditch- _forever_."

"What? That's terrible. She can't do that."

"She can do whatever she wants, as long as she has the Minister's permission."

"Well at least there is an upside to all of this," I said. "…Slytherin's got a better chance of winning the Quidditch Cup."

The next day after the Quidditch match, Hagrid was back in class, with no explanation for his absence. To those who asked, he merely said he had been away… though of course, I knew the truth. He was also pretty badly beat up, but he wouldn't say why, even to me. I suspetde he and Maxime had gotten into a fight. Still, it was nice to have the excitement back in Care of Magical Creatures class.

Winter came to Hogwarts and with it came snow and Christmas decorations. The promise of Christmas also held the promise of a few weeks of holiday alone with Snape. This helped me make it through the last few weeks of Umbridge's class.

The cold weather had also brought on an increase in illnesses at St. Mungo's. Some of the Healers had fallen ill as well, including Mycroft, which is why on one of the last nights before the holidays, I found myself working late.

I was working on a fresh batch of Pepperup Potion when one of the new Interns came to the door.

"Miss Cain?" he asked anxiously.

"Yes?" I said curtly, tired and annoyed at the interruption.

"Sorry for the intrusion, but…the portrait downstairs…Dilys Derwent…she is asking for you."

Frowning slightly, I stepped away from the simmering cauldron and rubbed my tired eyes.

"Are you capable of finishing this for me?" I asked the intern and he nodded. "When you are done, take it to Healer Milburn."

I hurried downstairs to the empty wait9ing room, thinking that Dilys' wanting me could only mean a message from Dumbledore. The former headmistress was waiting for me in her frame.

"What is it, what's happened?" I asked anxiously, fearing, of course, that something had happened to Snape.

"Arthur Weasley has been attacked," she whispered urgently. "Bitten, by a large snake. They'll be bringing him in shortly."

Within ten minutes, several official-looking wizards carried Arthur Weasley in, levitating him with their wands. He was pale and unconscious, his glasses askew on his face. He sported several massive bites that were dripping blood at an alarming rate.

"Get him up to the emergency ward on the first floor- follow me," I commanded. We met several Interns and nurses on the way up who took over for the Ministry wizards and helped me get Arthur upstairs.

"someone clean him up. And wake Healer Smethwyck, this will be right up his alley. He'll need a Blood-Replenishing Potion immediately- I'll handle that."

No one questioned my instructions- there was no time for that- even though Iw as the youngest in the room. I hurried upstairs and fetched as much Blood-Replenishing Potion as I could carry. When I returned downstairs, a very tired-looking Smethwyck was examining Arthur's wounds. I handed over the Blood-Replenishing Potion. Even though it wasn't exactly my area of expertise, Smethwyck asked me to stay with him- we had worked together a few times before and he knew my talents.

We worked on Arthur for the next few hours and around five in the morning we got him stabilized, his wounds wrapped tight. Arthur was awake, but weak. He told Smethwyck he didn't remember what happened.

"At any rate, you need some rest. Your wife is waiting outside. You can talk to her ofr a moment. Miss Cain, fetch a Sleeping Potion for Arthur, then get some rest yourself. I want you back as early as possible to continue working on an antidote," Smethwyck said.

"Yes sir."

When I returned to Arthur's room with the Sleeping Potion, only he and Molly Weasley were there.

"Thank you, Olivia," Mrs. Weasley said, taking the potion from me and giving me a hug, to which I stiffened.

"Is there anything you can tell me that might help me find an antidote to the venom in your wounds?" I asked Arthur once Mrs. Weasley had released me.

"Only that it was an enormous black snake. _His _snake," Arthur said.

"Professor Dumbledore told me if I got the chance to tell you to come see him, Olivia," Mrs. Weasley told me.

"A bit late, isn't it?" I asked, glancing at the clock on the wall.

"Oh I doubt he will be sleeping," she said. "With everything that has happened…"

I left St. Mungo's a short while later and Disapparated to outside the Hogwarts gate. Exhausted, I applied my Disillusionment Charm and began the long trek to the castle and up the stairs to the headmaster's office.

When I reached the door to Dumbledore's office, I gave the password- Fizzing Whisbees- and went up the stairs. When I knocked, I was told to enter. I removed my Disillusionment Charm before entering. I was somewhat surprised that he was still awake, as exhausted as I was. When I opened the door I found Dumbledore at his desk- with Snape in front of him. As soon as I entered the room, Snape stood and hugged me. I closed my eyes, feeling like a child in his embrace.

"Are you okay?" he murmured and I nodded.

After a moment, Dumbledore cleared his throat.

"How is Arthur Weasley?" Dumbledore asked, clearing his throat.

"He's stable, for now," I said, squirming out of Snape's embrace and sitting in the chair he had evacuated. "He has to take a Blood-Replenishing Potion every hour…we haven't been able to get the bleeding to stop yet, we keep having to change his bandages. We have to find an antidote to the venom. …Do you know anything about the Dark Lord's snake?" I asked, looking up at Snape who had come to stand behind me.

"Nagini? …She is a viper. I believe the Dark Lord found her in Albania. She is his magical familiar. …I've never seen anyone get bitten by her and live to tell about it."

"I _will _find an antidote," I said determinedly.

"I'm not saying you won't," he said soothingly, placing a hand on my shoulder. "There is a first time for everything."

I glanced back at Dumbledore who was sitting with his hands steepled in front of him, not looking at us.

"…You two can go," he said after a moment. "Get some sleep."

"Yes sir," Snape said and I got to my feet.

"Sir? Healer Smethwyck wants me back as early as possible tomorrow."

"Of course... You don't have a Defense class scheduled tomorrow, do you? No? Then you can leave whenever you like," he said. "But be back for lunch and dinner until term officially ends…so you don't rouse anyone's suspicions."

"Yes sir," I said with a nod.

"I need books," I thought aloud as Snape and I walked down to the dungeons. "Books on antidotes…snake bites…venoms…"

"It can wait until after you rest," he said. "You can go to the library _after _you get some sleep. I'll even write you a pass, giving you permission to check out books from the Restricted Section."

I nodded and yawned loudly, thinking to myself that I'd been awake nearly 24 hours.

When Snape left me at the hidden entrance to the Common Room, I slipped inside and quickly made my way to my dormitory. I pulled the curtains around my bed and stripped out of my Healer Intern robes, which I noticed were still covered in Arthur's blood. I put on some shorts and a t-shirt and gladly crawled into my warm bed.

**Snape's POV**

I found it pointless to try and sleep, as tired as I was. I knew I'd just have to get back up and teach in a few hours. So I just took a dose of Invigoration Draught and found some work to do until breakfast.

When I went up to the Great Hall to eat, everything seemed relatively normal, save for the fact that Umbridge kept shooting murderous looks at Albus, who also appeared exhausted. Olivia didn't show up for breakfast, though I hadn't really expected her to. It was the last day of classes and all the students were especially rowdy. I was able to keep my classes under control, however, by taking house points for the slightest thing. I was tired and irritable and wasn't going to put up with any crap.

I had just finished with my second year class when Olivia slipped inside the classroom. She still looked exhausted, her face was pale and she had dark circles under her eyes from a lack of sleep. She was dressed in her school robes with her long red hair pulled into an askew ponytail.

"You okay?" I asked, shutting the door behind her.

"Yeah…I need to go to the library and get some books on antidotes to take with me to St. Mungo's. Are you going to write me a pass?"

"Of course," I said, finding a scrap of parchment and scribbling her a pass. "You'll be back for dinner, right?"

"Yes. Although I will probably leave right after. …We can go home tonight, right? Since it is the end of term?"

"I believe so. I will check with Dumbledore later."

"Okay. I've got to go. I'm in a hurry."

"Right. Good luck," I said and hugged her quickly.

The rest of the day passed quickly for me. After dinner, I went upstairs to the headmaster's office to let him know Olivia and I were going home for the holidays.

"Spinner's End is closer to St. Mungo's, so Olivia can travel back and forth more quickly. And we won't have to explain any absences to Umbridge," I told him.

"Yes, I suppose that makes sense," he murmured, seeming distracted. "As much as I would rather have you here, Severus, I will note force you to stay. …Once you leave for the holiday, you cannot return to the castle, in case _she _sees you. Do not send messages by owl or attempt to use Floo Powder- our methods of communication are being intercepted. If you wish to see me, send your Patronus. I can meet you in the village or come to Spinner's End."

I nodded my head in understanding.

"I will leave shortly. Olivia has gone back to St. Mungo's, I believe-"

"Yes, they've had no luck with Arthur's wounds."

"-So I doubt I'll see her tonight. Do not hesitate to send for me if you need me."

"I shall."

**Olivia's POV**

I spent the whole day pouring over books on antidotes and venoms, books on snakes. Arthur was drinking a blood-replenishing potion every hour and having his bandages changed frequently. I worked closely with Augustus Pye, Smethwyck's Healer-in-Training.

I stopped working long enough to return to Hogwarts for dinner, grabbed a few more books from the library, and went back to work.

It was after midnight when we finally called it quits. I changed out of my Healer Intern robes, then Disapparated to Spinner's End. The house was dark when I arrived so I made my way upstairs by wand light. I opened the door to Snape's room. He was lying in bed- I thought at first he was asleep, but he raised his head when I entered.

"I'm exhausted," he said sleepily. "But I couldn't sleep until I knew you were home."

I kicked off my shoes and crawled into bed. He put his arms around me and kissed me.

"How is Arthur?" he asked.

"The same," I replied heavily. "Nothing we try works. …I'm going to figure this out. I _have _to."

"I'm sure you will," he murmured, his voice heavy with sleep.

"So uh, how tired are you?" I asked, slipping my leg between his.

"Umf…too tired… I didn't sleep at all last night. I just stayed up- I had classes tto teach this morning. Took…" he yawned loudly. "…took an Invigoration Draught."

"Severus," I said disapprovingly. "You shouldn't push yourself so hard. Go to sleep."

"Mmhm…" he said and within seconds he was asleep. I chuckled softly, snuggled up against him, and was soon asleep myself.

The next morning I awoke still snuggled against Snape's chest. I could hear his heart beating in his chest against my ear. My leg was still lodged between his. I reached down and gave him a little stroke. His eyes opened and I kissed him before he could speak. Slowly, I rolled him onto his back and straddled him.

"Someone's feeling frisky," he said with a smile.

"Happy holidays, Severus…"

A while later we made our way downstairs to eat a bit of breakfast before I went back to work.

"We need to work on Defense as much as we can while we are hoe. No sneaking around," Snape said as we ate. "…And I think, perhaps, we should start working on offensive spells as well."

"But I have to work," I protested. "I _must _find an antidote for Nagini's venom."

"Why you?" he asked. "Why does it have to be you?"

"Because Smethwyck chose me specifically. Because Dumbledore is counting on me…and the Weasleys…and I just _know _I can figure it out. I'm just missing something, looking in the wrong place…"

"…Well you don't have to stay there all day. You can read through books here…in fact, there are some books here you haven't looked in, I'm sure," he said.

I glanced in the direction of the sitting room. He _did _have a point.

"…I'll try and be back early this evening. I have to discuss it with Healer Smethwyck."

I left after breakfast and went back to St. Mungo's. I checked on Arthur Weasley- he was awake and eating breakfast. Pye had already changed his bandages. I made sure he had taken his Blood-Replenishing Potion, then got back to researching antidotes.

"Olivia?" Pye said to me as we flipped through pages and pages of books.

"Hm?"

"Have you ever heard of stitches? They're a sort of Muggle-"

"I know what stitches are. Veterinarians use them, too."

"Right, well…do you think…maybe they could work in this case?"

I looked up from my book and stared at him. He was serious.

"I really doubt it, Augustus," I said. "But you could ask Smethwyck. There's no harm in trying."

After lunch I asked Healer Smethwyck if I could go home.

"We have shelves and shelves of books on poisons and antidotes that I haven't looked through yet," I said before he could protest. "And my guardian will help me look."

"By all means," he said, nodding. "Let us know if you find anything."

When I got home Snape wasn't there, but he'd left me a note saying he had gone to see Lucius about something important. I rolled my eyes and went into the sitting room and began pulling books off the shelves.

It was around eight o'clock that night when Snape got hom. I was still in the living room, buried in books.

"How long have you been home?" he inquired, moving aside a stack of books to sit beside me on the couch.

"Few hours," I replied despondently.

"Hm. Come on, you need to take a break. Let's practice Defense."

"What- don't you want to eat or something first?" I said, still skimming the book.

"No, I ate at the Malfoys. Come on, up," he said, pulling me o my feet. He took the book from me and put it facedown on the couch. Then he kissed me which, admittedly, _did _take my mind off of potions and antidotes.

"Now that I've got your attention… we've got some work to do," he said.

"No fair," I said, pouting, and I followed him into the kitchen.


	46. Year 7 Chapter 12

**Author's Note: **Sorry for the delay! Been working on my actual novels again (which I started writing when I was 12! That was a long time ago!) and may be posting them on Fiction Press. The thing is, my earlier ones suck, so I may have to post the second part of the series before the first and do some work on the first part. (I mean, if the Star Wars guy can do it, why can't I? What do you guys think? Think it might piss people off? I mean, they're certainly understandable without the first part of the series…) ANYWHO, I will jump right back into my fanfic now, since I know y'all are all dying to read the next part. Don't forget to review!

~LilReporterGirl

**Snape's POV**

I led Olivia into the potion-brewing room. It was a solid brick room- it had been a root cellar when my mother was alive, but I had turned it into a potion room. And it was perfect for us to practice Defense in.

We decided to have a duel so we could warm up before we got into anything serious. I cleared the cauldrons and stuff out of the way. We met in the center of the room and bowed to each other, as was custom, then we began.

She did alright at first, blocking my spells and continuing them quickly, but it soon became obvious she was distracted. I got her a few good times and finally decided to end the duel. I saw and opening and decided to hit her with something I knew she would hate.

"_Rictumsempra_," I said and sure enough she fell to her knees, doubled over, giggling.

"Dammit…Severus…" she said breathlessly. "Alright…you win."

I lifted the Tickling Charm and helped her to her feet.

"You're distracted. You've got to have your mind in the game if you are serious about this."

"I know, I know. I'm sorry," she said. "It's just…I'm thinking about Arthur, about finding an antidote."

"I know, Olivia, but listen… there are going to be times when your life is in danger, when your friends are falling around you-… You can't afford to be distracted. If you can't handle this…"

"No, I can," she said quickly. "I won't be distracted. Let's go, you want to duel again?"

"No. I told you we were going to start offense…that means teaching you curses."

She suddenly looked a little more interested.

"I figured it best to start off with something strong. Something illegal. …Do you remember when Moody taught you to resist the Imperius Curse last year?"

"You mean Barty Crouch Jr.," she said darkly.

"Yes. I thought we would start with that. Test your mind, make sure you can still resist it. Then _really _test your mind and see if you are strong enough to cast it."

"…Okay," she said, bracing herself. "Ready when you are."

There was no being ready for this. I really didn't want to do this. Casting an Unforgivable Curse on my Olivia… Why had I felt this necessary?

It's for her own protection, I reminded myself. Better me than some random Death Eater.

I braced myself and gripped my wand.

"…Imperio," I said quietly.

I watched as Olivia's emerald eyes became cloudy. Silently, I told her to go to the corner and pick up a cauldron. Her body turned in that direction, but I immediately felt her throw up her defenses in a way not dissimilar to Occlumency. I repeated the instruction. _Pick up the cauldron._

_No_, she thought firmly and before I knew it she had completely thrown off the curse.

"Excellent! Really excellent, Olivia," I said, but secretly I wished she'd had more trouble with it so we did not have to move on so quickly.

"Okay… I want you to practice the wand movement and incantation first. Aim your wand at the wall."

She did as instructed. I watched her movements scrutinously. I came to stand behind her and rearranged her grip on her wand. Keeping my hand over hers, I led her through the movements.

When I was satisfied she'd mastered the technique, I cast about for something to test the spell on.

"How do you feel about spiders?" I inquired, eyeing a web in the corner.

"What?" she asked, confused.

"To test the spell on. Normally I would suggest mice, but I know how you feel about mice…"

"Spider's fine," she said quickly. "And I wouldn't particularly want to have to curse _you _either."

She walked somewhat nervously over to the corner where the spider was. I didn't blame her for being anxious- I would have been more concerned if she _hadn't _been unnerved at the thought of using an Unforgivable Curse for the first time.

I watched her closely as she raised her wand and point it at the spider.

"_Imperio_," she said quietly.

Nothing happened for a moment, then the spider began to move in a very un-spider-like manner. I watched as Olivia directed the spider to scuttle from its web to the floor, then up the side of a cauldron. The spider jumped from one side to the other. It began to spin an awkward web over the top of the cauldron. She soon gave up on this, however, and lifted the curse. The confused spider scuttled back to its web in the corner, altogether unharmed.

"That wasn't so bad," she said with an uneasy laugh.

"It would be worse, much worse, if you were using it on another human. …But yes, of the three curses, it is the least trying on the caster of the spell."

"…What about the other two? Will I have to learn them as well?" she asked.

"We will see. If you don't want to, you will not have to."

"Well…the Cruciatus Curse…the torture curse… I'm not sure I'd want to use it on anything, even a spider. …When Moody did it, the spider, it…it _screamed_. It was horrible," she said, face pale.

"Hm… Is there any sort of creature you'd not be opposed to harming?"

"Bees," she replied immediately. "Bees, wasps, hornets. I _despise _any manner of things that sting."

"I never knew you were afraid of bees," I said with a slight smile.

"Not _afraid_. I just hate them. That's why I never go out in the backyard- there is an enormous hive of them in that old oak tree."

"You could have told me. I'd have gotten rid of them for you."

She shrugged.

"As it is," I continued. "It may be a good thing you did not. Would you be willing to practice the other two spells on them?"

"…Only if you promise you won't let me get stung," she said. "When do we start?"

"Not today. I rather think we've done enough to be getting on with. You can get back to your work, if you like, or keep practicing with the spider."

"I think I'll go back to the books… I could use your help, if you're not busy…"

"I've nothing else to do," I said with a shrug.

**Olivia's POV**

The next morning, Snape and I went out into the backyard after breakfast. I'd only been in the backyard a few times. It was rather unattractive- the grass was yellowed and grown up with weeds that had choked out any flowers that had once existed. There were overgrown rose bushes that hadn't been trimmed in years. The roses still bloomed in simmer, but for now they were covered in a light layer of snow.

"They were my mother's," Snape said, noticing me looking at the roses.

"…They need trimming," I said quietly.

"I've never had the aptitude for it myself, or the time or the patience. If you ever…if you _wanted _to, well…"

I nodded slowly and looked up at the tree where the bees' nest was. I still felt nervous about having to kill them all. It was ending a life…even if it was just a bee life. I'd never killed anything on purpose before- not a spider or an ant. Any time there was a spider in my room I would just put it out the window.

Almost as soon as we'd stepped out of the backdoor a bee had begun buzzing around our heads. The sound made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up on end.

"I really hate bees," I said. "I hate being stung by them, even though it's only happened once."

"What happened?" he asked curiously.

"It was when I was seven years old. Ellen and I were visiting the farm in Ireland. I was out playing with Thomas and Matthew in the forest and they led me to an apple tree. I had been determined to climb all the way to the top of the tree and pick an apple. I stuck my hand up through leaves and grabbed right into a bees nest. The whole lot of them stung me at once and I fell out of the tree. When I hit the ground my magic pulsed and all of the apples fell off the tree. I ended up with a broken arm, but the tree never grew apples again after that."

"How strange. Well, are you ready to practice?"

"I suppose…"

"Would you like to perform the Cruciatus Curse or the Killing Curse first?"

I hesitated. I didn't want to torture them either. It seemed so sadistic, even if I did hate bees. What if they screamed like the spider had?

Snape studied me silently a moment, probably reading my mind.

"…I know you don't _want _to use either of them, but the day may come when you are forced to," he said quietly. "The Dark Lord senses weakness. If you are asked to join the Death Eaters, you will be asked to prove yourself. He may ask you to demonstrate your skills. I've seen him force new recruits to perform the Cruciatus Curse on Muggles…even kill them, during the old days, though I doubt he'd risk it now. You need to prepare yourself. Do you understand?"

I nodded, determined that I would do this.

"Cruciatus first then," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. Go ahead and get the worst out of the way.

I raised my wand at the bee buzzing around our heads.

"You've got to really feel it, Olivia. Think of how much you hate bees. Think of how it felt when you grabbed that nest," he said to me. I nodded again, conjuring up my hatred of bees til bee-hate practically oozed from my pores.

"_C-crucio_!" I said, hating the fact that I'd stammered and made myself look weak. The bee dropped to the ground. Still pointing my wand at it, I knelt to look. The bee was letting out a high-pitched, angry buzzing. If I looked close enough, I could see its tiny legs and wings flailing. I felt terrible, but kept up the spell. I tried not looking at the bee, but I could still hear its buzzing scream.

Finally, after what seemed like hours but was probably only a minute, Snape told me I could stop. I watched the bee take off from the ground jerkily. It flew in jerking, spastic movements towards the hive, but fell to the ground after a few feet.

"Did I kill it?" I asked anxiously, running over to look at it, but I couldn't find it in the overgrown grass.

**Snape's POV**

I watched Olivia searching the grass for the bee, but said nothing and waited for her to return to where I stood.

"You are going to have to kill a bee," I stated.

"I know, I know. I will. I just… I've never killed anything before…"

"…Not even a mosquito or an ant?"

"Not on purpose…"

I was struck with a sudden memory of her when she was younger.

_She had been in her second-year Potions class. I was sitting at my desk, quill poised over parchment as I graded atrocious essays. A Gryffindor girl, Amelia Woodburn, squealed suddenly. I glanced up to see her staring in horror at a spider on the wall. Alan Makinney, a large Gryffindor boy grabbed his textbook and got up from his seat. Olivia, who looked as annoyed as I felt at the disturbance, saw what Makinney intended to do. She grabbed her own textbook and leapt up. She smacked Makinney one good time with her textbook._

"_Leave him alone!" she snarled, walking over to the wall. _

_She gently nudged the spider onto her textbook and glanced around. She walked promptly over to me and I set down my quill. _

"_May I go outside to release the spider, Professor Snape?" she asked me in her little girl voice._

"…_No," I said. "This type of spider is used in Strengthening Solutions, we will keep him."_

_I summoned a jar and had her place the spider inside. She looked at me with a look of hurt betrayal and returned to her desk. I kept my emotions in check at the time, but later felt immensely guilty. I found myself releasing the spider outside the castle that evening, cursing myself the whole time, that I had let the little girl get to me. _

"I can't believe you remember that," Olivia said.

"Wha-? Hey! …I never should have taught you Legilimency," I said, shaking my head. She smirked, looking pleased with herself.

"Did you really let the spider go after that?" she asked.

"Yes," I admitted reluctantly.

She smiled and stood on tiptoe to kiss my cheek.

"I think that was very sweet of you, Severus Snape," she said in my ear, her breath warm against my skin.

She really knew how to get to me. I wanted to turn and kiss her. I wanted to have her, outside in the snow.

I cleared my throat, knowing she was still probably in my mind.

"…You still have to kill a bee," I said to her firmly.

"I can do this," she said with false confidence.

We crossed the yard to the tree where the nest was. Most of the bees were asleep, because of the cold, but a few crawled lazily outside of the nest.

"Just say the words," I said. "No special wand movements or anything. Just say the words…and try not to feel anything."

She inhaled deeply, no doubt steeling herself against her emotions.

"_Avada…Kedavra_," she said, eyes closed, wand pointing at the nest. There was a flash of green light and she opened her eyes in time to see the bees that had been crawling on the outside of the nest fall to the ground.

She exhaled slowly.

"That…wasn't too bad," she said quietly.

"…I will get rid of the rest of the nest. Why don't you go inside and warm up? Get a cup of tea or something. It's freezing out here," I said, inwardly cursing myself for letting her get to me again. I really should make her get rid of the whole next, it will be good for her…

She smiled and kissed me again, this time on the mouth, letting her tongue gently flick over lips. I stopped beating myself up almost immediately, thinking instead _I will do anything for this little girl_.

Olivia went inside and I killed the rest of the bees with one quick spell. Then I got rid of their nest and their little bee corpses. When I was finished, Olivia came back out, carrying two mugs of what turned out to be hot chocolate. I smiled and took a cup. I wasn't usually a hot chocolate sort of person, but for her I could be. We sat on the back steps, sipping our hot chocolate and watching as the snow began to fall again.

**Olivia's POV**

It was a few days before Christmas when I discovered the recipe for an antidote I felt sure would cure Arthur Weasley's injury. It was a Saturday. Snape and I had spent the morning practicing curses and defensive spells. We broke for lunch, after which I curled up on the couch by the fire with a book I had found in a box in the attic, having gone through nearly every book in the sitting room. The book was called _Ancient Poisons_. It appeared handwritten and was bound in something that was definitely not leather that I did not want to contemplate.

The poisons described in the book were rather horrible and I flipped through them quickly. The last chapter contained a list of antidotes. I read through them carefully ad nearly dropped the book when I read over the Ultimate Healing Draught.

"Severus? Severus, I think this could work!" I said excitedly. He came out of the kitchen where he had been brewing a pot of tea.

"What?" he asked, sitting beside me. I handed him the book and he read over the page.

"It's complicated. And some of these ingredients are quite rare - Samento thorns, Noni juice, powdered bezoar, phoenix tears…how are you going to manage that one?"

"I thought of that already- I need to talk to Dumbledore," I said, standing up.

"Wait," he said, grabbing my arm. "You can't go marching off to the castle- Umbridge will ask questions if she sees you. I can send him a message."

"Well do that, then," I said somewhat impatiently. Snape pulled out his wand and cast his doe Patronus.

"Tell Albus I need to speak with him at his earliest convenience," he said. "Deliver the message _only _to him."

The doe gave a nod of her head and vanished.

"Now what?" I asked.

"Now, we wait."

We sat on the couch in silence, waiting. We both jumped when the tea kettle whistled in the kitchen. I laughed uneasily and stood.

"I can get it," Snape offered, starting to stand.

"No, I've got it," I assured him.

I went into the kitchen and poured two cups of tea. I added honey to both cups and a splash of milk to his, the way I knew he liked it.

I walked back into the sitting room and was surprised to find Dumbledore sitting in Snape's armchair.

"Hello Olivia," he said, smiling at me.

"Headmaster," I said with a nod. "Would you like a cup of tea?"

"No thank you."

I handed Snape his cup of tea and sat back down beside him on the couch.

"Olivia, Severus said you wished to speak with me?"

"Yes sir - I think I've found a cure, an antidote for Arthur Weasley," I said.

I quickly told him about the potion and about the rare ingredient.

"So you see sir… Well, you're the only one I know who could get that _particular _ingredient…"

"I see," Dumbledore said with a nod. "Well, I can try. Fawkes has a mind of his own, however- he is so much more than just a bird."

"All I ask is that you try, sir. …Do you have any idea where I might get some of the other ingredients?" I inquired.

"I can handle that," Snape said quickly. I looked at him questioningly, but he didn't elaborate.

We made small talk for a while until Dumbledore said he had to get back to the school. Snape saw him out, then came back and sat next to me.

"So where do you know that we can get rare potions ingredients?" I asked as he sat.

"I know two places… Some of the ingredients aren't just rare- they're illegal. The Samento thorns, for example. They're only grown in the rain forest and since Muggles discovered their medicinal properties a few years ago it's become illegal to import them. …But like I said, I know places."

"What kind of places?" I asked.

"Places," he said evasively.

"Okay, fine then. You're just trying to be all mysterious and cool," I said with a smirk.

"Right," he said with a snort. "We can go tomorrow and try and find the ingredients."

**Snape's POV**

Olivia and I woke up early the next morning, all tangled up in each other in my bed. I kissed her slowly and she stretched, nuzzling against me.

"Come on. We should get ready to go- I'm going to shower," I said, disentangling myself from her.

"Ooh, wait for me," she said, grinning naughtily.

About a half hour later, we emerged from the bathroom. I hurried to my room to dress. Olivia stood in the doorway, naked and unabashed.

"What should I wear? Muggle clothes or robes?" she asked.

"Robes, definitely. But something sexy- Slytherin-y and Dark."

"Is this your preference or does it have something to do with where we're going?" she asked, smirking.

"Maybe a little of both," I replied, also smirking.

"I've got just the thing," she said and turned, went into her room, and closed the door.

I went downstairs to wait for Olivia. It took nearly another half hour, but when she came downstairs, the effect was stunning. She was dressed in low-cut silky black robes, complete with black eyeliner, emerald eyeshadow, and light pink lipgloss. I stood and crossed the room to kiss her lips.

"Mm…watermelon," I said, licking my lips.

She chuckled.

"Take my hand," I said and she did. "Ready?"

She nodded and braced herself. We Disapparated.

We appeared in Diagon Alley, right beside Flourish and Blott's where the turn was for Knockturn Alley. She eyed the sign and looked up at me.

"Don't worry," I said. "You're with me."

"I'm not worried," she said. I put an arm around her, pulling her to my side, and we started down the alley.

We passed by several crazy-looking people, but nobody bothered us. She clung to me the whole time. When we reached Borgin and Burke's I held the door open for her and we entered the shop.

There was someone already at the counter having a discussion with Burke so we waited.

"Don't touch anything," I murmured to Olivia as she looked around the shop. She nodded obediently, putting her hands in her pockets. When the wizard at the counter left the shop I walked up to the counter. Olivia came to stand beside me.

"Well Severus…What can I do for you?" he asked, but his eyes were moving eagerly over Olivia. I cleared my throat and glared pointedly at him. He straightened up and looked at me. I glanced at Olivia, who seemed amused.

"I'm looking for some, ah- _rare _potion ingredients. I have a list," I said, handing it over.

"Hm…Well it won't come cheap, but I've got most of them," Burke said.

"Money isn't an issue," I said quickly. Olivia glanced at me, but said nothing.

Burke listed off the ingredients he had and told me a price for the lot of it. I winced inwardly, but dug in my pocket for the money.

"No, wait-" Burke said, his eyes suddenly foggy. "I'll knock off half. We're friends, right?"

"Sure…friends," I said slowly, thinking to myself that it looked like he was being Imperiused. AS he went to the back to retrieve the ingredients, I glanced down at Olivia. She had one hand in her pocket, a look of concentration on her face.

I said nothing until we were outside of the shop and safely down the street, leaving a dazed Burke in our wake.

"Smooth," I said to her softly, but I was smirking.

"Hey, I had to practice," she said sheepishly. "And what better target than that sleaze ball."

"Spoken like a true Slytherin," I said. "I would kiss you, but such displays of affection are generally frowned upon here."

"Right. Where to next?"

I hesitated.

"…There is but one person I know who keeps a regular supply of all things illegal."

"I have a sinking feeling I know who," she said.

"You don't have to go. …You can go back to the house…"

"Nonsense," she said. "He can't hurt me- I'm with you."

"Right," I said grimly. "If he so much as looks at you, I'll kill him."

"Don't be ridiculous," she said, linking her arm with mine.

**Olivia's POV**

We appeared outside of a pair of wrought iron gates, past which I could see a large manor house. I knew it to be Malfoy Manor, though I had never been there before. Snape put an arm around me and we walked right through the gates, as if they were smoke. I looked back at the seemingly-solid gates.

"Cool," I said.

"Lucius always did have a talent for flair," he replied.

We walked up the path towards the house past several gardens. I spotted several white peacocks, which I recognized from the Quidditch Cup. Snape saw me looking at them.

"You mustn't bother the peacocks, Olivia," he said firmly.

"I wasn't gonna," I said defensively. "…They're happy here. They aren't tied up."

We approached the front door and Snape knocked, a sound which could be heard reverberating through the house. The door was opened a moment later by a thin, bony-looking woman. She was pale-skinned, had blonde hair and a turned-up nose.

"Severus, how are you? Lucius will be pleased to see you. …And who is this? You look familiar…" she asked, looking me over.

"This is Olivia Cain, my…my ward," Snape said. "Olivia, this is Narcissa Malfoy, Lucius' wife."

"Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Malfoy," I said politely.

"And you," she replied, still looking at me rather curiously. "Lucius is in the sitting room, Severus. You two can go ahead in."

I followed Severus closely as he made his way down a long hallway. The whole house seemed ornately decorated, from the chandeliered ceilings to the plush rug beneath our feet.

Snape entered a room where Lucius Malfoy sat in a high-backed chair in front of a marble fireplace. He was staring into the fire, a glass of brandy in his hand.

There was an enormous Christmas tree against one wall. I hadn't thought about the fact that we didn't have a tree at Spinner's End. I thought of this as Snape cleared his throat, startling Malfoy out of his reverie.

"Severus, my dear friend, how are you?" Malfoy siad, standing to greet us. "And _Olivia_…how wonderful to see you again, my dear. You look lovely, as always."

His grey eyes moved over my body, as if he were drinking me in.

In one swift movement, Snape slipped a possessive arm around my waist. I smiled inwardly but kept my face studiously blank.

"Come have a seat, you must be freezing," Malfoy said to us, gesturing towards a black leather love seat. We sat, with Snape keeping an arm around me.

"What brings you two out here this cold winter day?" Malfoy inquired. "_He _isn't here, you know…"

"I know. It was you we came to see, Lucius. …Olivia and I are working on a rare potion, you see, and some of the ingredients are rather _difficult _to obtain," Snape said.

"Ah," said Malfoy, a smile spreading across his features. "Say no more. Come, to the drawing room."

Malfoy led us down the hall to another room. The majority of the room was occupied by a long table. The walls were an elegant, royal purple. Malfoy smirked as I admired his house and pulled out his wand. He tapped a spot on the floor, which revealed a staircase leading down into a torch-lit, dungeon-like room.

"Home-y," I said to Snape as Malfoy led us down. Snape chuckled softly.

The room below was quite dungeon-like and contained all sorts of things. Vials of poisons, a number of books, and several Dark objects whose purpose was unknown to me.

"Let's see…" Lucius said, walking over to a large cabinet. "What did you say you needed, Severus?"

Snape listed off the 3 ingredients we had been unable to obtain at Borgin and Burke's. A moment later, Lucius turned around with all three of them.

"Excellent. What do I owe you, Lucius?" Snape asked.

"Nothing at all, my good friend. I've no real use for them…consider it a gift," Lucius replied, his eyes on me again. "…Tell me, Severus- have you been training her as the Dark Lord instructed?"

"Yes," he replied tensely.

"Would you mind giving me a display of your knowledge, Olivia? That is to say, would you consent to a friendly duel?"

"Duel? Against you?" I asked.

Malfoy nodded.

"Well… I wouldn't want to hurt you or anything," I said, thinking to myself that I would in fact like to hurt him very much.

He chuckled heartily.

"So confident in your abilities. Let us put them to the test. Do you consent?"

I glanced at Snape.

"If you want to," he said reluctantly.

**Author's Note: **I think I'll leave it there for now. Let you guys brew on that for a minute. How will Snape react to Olivia dueling Lucius…and what will Lucius do to her? Who do you think will win? Read and REVIEW (I can't stress that enough!). And many thanks to all of you!

~LilReporterGirl


	47. Year 7 Chapter 13

**Snape's POV**

I watched, tense, as my best friend and beloved prepared to duel. Best friend or not, I didn't trust Lucius…_especially _where Olivia was concerned. I watched him scrutinously as they bowed to each other in the center of the room. I stood, back against the wall, fingering my wand in my pocket.

They stood facing each other at opposite ends of the room, wands at the ready, each waiting for the other to cast the first spell. I saw a gleam in her emerald eyes and a similar gleam in his grey ones. It was a look of hate and excitement, though his excitement of an entirely different nature. I recalled, suddenly, what Olivia had said after she returned from her search for Hagrid…that she felt she would be the one to kill Lucius someday.

It was he who finally grew impatient and cast the first spell. I was relieved that it was only a Stunning spell which Olivia countered with Protego, rapidly followed by a Disarming Spell. Lucius repelled it, of course. He tried _Immobulus _but she dodged it, countering with Rictumsempra.

I watched their back and forth banter for about 15 minutes, neither of them landing a blow. Things took a turn for the worse when Lucius began using nonverbal spells. A jet of purple light shot out of his wand. Olivia dodged at the last moment. He immediately fired another spell before she'd even regained her footing. Olivia rolled out of the way of the spell, surprising Lucius.

"_Furnuculus_!" she growled. Before Lucius could react, the curse hit him, causing his flawless pale skin to erupt in large, throbbing boils. His grey eyes narrowed and turned icy cold.

"You little wench! Enough of this, this childs' play- _Sectumsempra!" _he bellowed.

"Lucius!" I shouted, but nothing came out. I tried to move, to stop the fight, but found myself frozen, forced to watch as he used my own spells against her. Olivia dodged, thankfully, and tried to Disarm him again.

Lucius cast another nonverbal spell which hoisted Olivia in the air by her ankles- another of my own inventions. Her robes fell down, revealing her lacy black underwear. Lucius chuckled wickedly and I tried in vain to move, glaring at Lucius, murdering him with my eyes. Olivia was prepared, however- she hadn't dropped her wand when Lucius cursed her.

"Relashio!" she grunted, fighting to keep her robes down. She fell to the ground hard. She scrambled to her feet, holding her right arm at an awkward angle. Lucius shot off another spell, which she dodged. Several jars on the shelf above her head burst, showering her with broken glass. I could see she had a bleeding cut above her left eye. A furious look came over her face and she pointed her wand at Malfoy.

"_Crucio!" _she snarled.

Lucius hit the ground, muscles twitching violently, his eyes wide, mouth open in a silent scream.

Olivia kept it up until she collapsed, exhausted. Lucius lay there, breathing heavily. I found I could move, finally, and I rushed to Olivia's side. I rolled her onto her back and brushed her hair out of her face. Her eyes fluttered open and she winced.

"Are you…mad?" she asked. I shook my head.

"No…No, love. Are you okay?"

She nodded wordlessly.

Lucius groaned and got to his feet. I turned to face him, furious.

"Well, I'd say that got a bit out of hand," he said, rubbing his neck.

"A _bit_?" I snorted. "…Why did you immobilize me?"

"What? I didn't- I know better, you'd kill me-"

"_I _did," Olivia said quietly.

"You? But _why_?"

"I didn't want you to interfere…"

Lucius chuckled.

"She certainly is a true Slytherin, Severus," he said to me.

"Hmph. I'm going to take Olivia home now, if you don't mind. Thank you for the ingredients, Lucius."

"No problem. …You two can join us on Christmas, if you like. The Dark Lord will be here."

"We'll see," I said, helping Olivia to her feet. "Come Olivia."

I took her hand and, after nodding to Lucius, Disapparated.

When we appeared in the sitting room, Olivia sat on the couch. I stood, frowning, trying to be mad at her…then I burst out laughing.

"I can't believe you…you used the Cruciatus Curse on Malfoy!" I exclaimed between peals of laughter.

She grinned, but it quickly faded.

"My…my arm," she said, teeth clenched.

"Stand up," I instructed.

Olivia stood, wincing. I unzipped the back of her robes and slowly, gently pulled them off.

Her right arm was swollen, apparently dislocated at the shoulder.

"I'm going to have to pop it back into place- but it's going to hurt…" I warned her.

"I know…I trust you," she said, smiling through her pain.

"Ready?" I asked, putting my hands in place. She nodded and we both inhaled deeply. I snapped the bone back into place. At the sound of the pop, Olivia uttered a small cry and that's when everything went black.

I awoke to Olivia kneeling over me, her green eyes shining in concern. She still had a cut over her left eye, but it had stopped bleeding.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah. What happened?"

"You fainted."

"That's ridiculous," I snorted, sitting up. "I don't faint. …Must've been an after-effect of you paralyzing me."

"Sure…" she said, smiling.

"Come on- let's get you fixed up," I said, touching the cut over her eye.

**Olivia's POV**

After Snape had patched me up from my duel with Malfoy, we started work on the Ultimate Healing Potion, even though we hadn't heard back from Dumbledore yet.

"We're not going to Malfoy's for Christmas, right?" I asked, carefully slicing the thorns off the Samento plant.

"Of course not," he snorted. "Not after today. I should not have let you duel. Lucius could have killed you."

"I thought I handled myself pretty well, actually," I said defensively.

"You did- I am quite proud of you, actually. But Lucius is a sick psycho-"

"-and a pervert," I added grimly, squirming as I recalled how he had hoisted me into the air upside down.

His face darkened and a murderous look came in his eye.

"I hate him," he muttered darkly.

"I know," I said soothingly. "…Let's just work on the potion."

We worked on the potion until late that evening, stopping only when we realized we hadn't eaten anything all day. We sat at the kitchen table and Snape summoned food from Hogwarts.

"I'll have to go see Healer Smethwyck in the morning, then I can come back and work on the potion," I said as we ate. He was about to say something when there was a great flash- we both jumped up, wands out- and Fawkes the Phoenix appeared in our kitchen.

The bird alighted on the table before me. He held a package in his claws. I took the package, reveling in being so close to the beautiful bird, admiring his red and golden plumage.

I opened the box to find a small vial containing a silvery substance that could only be the phoenix's tears.

"Thank you Fawkes," I said softly, stoking his feathered head. He let out a soft musical note and within a minute he vanished again.

"I can't believe it… we actually _have _phoenix tears. …Someone would pay thousands of Galleons for that little bottle in your hand," Snape said. "If we sold that, we'd be set for life. We could leave here… live somewhere magnificent and never have to worry about anything ever again."

"Severus…" I said softly and put my arms around him, looking up at him. "We can't leave. This is bigger than just you and I. You know that."

"I do," he said, resignedly. "…It would be nice though."

"Yeah…"

I stepped away from him to examine the vial I held in my hands in the light.

"So many old potions are useless because the phoenix because so rare," Snape said. "…In the olden days, wizards would keep them in cages their whole lives, confined and miserable, just to collect their tears and their feathers."

"How horrible!" I declared. "How could anyone do something so cruel to such a beautiful creature?"

I looked down at the vial, wishing we didn't need it so- it was heartbreaking to imagine the phoenix weeping.

Snape and I got up early the next morning and resumed working on the potion. I left for an hour or so to go to the hospital and talk to Healer Smethwyck. I found him and Pye in Arthur's room.

"Healer Smethwyck- I've discovered a recipe for an old Healing Potion, one I'm inclined to think will work. But it will take several days and has to be watched closely- I'm loathe to leave it alone, even now," I said, though I hadn't technically left it alone, I'd left it with Snape.

"Do what you need to do, Miss Cain," Smethwyck said. "For the time being, Pye and Arthur are convinced they want to try the Muggle remedy of… _stitching_."

"Stitches, sir," Pye corrected. "They're quite effective on Muggle wounds."

"It certainly can't hurt to try," Arthur said brightly.

After telling Smethwyck I'd stay in touch, I left the hospital. I did not go directly home, however. It was almost Christmas and I hadn't gotten Snape anything. I hadn't the faintest idea what to get him, so I headed to Diagon Alley to do some window shopping.

**Snape's POV**

Christmas came quickly, with the preceding days spent almost entirely working on the Healing Potion.

Olivia woke me early on Christmas morning, kissing me awake.

"Merry Christmas, Severus," she said, snuggling her naked body against mine.

"Mm. I've got a present for you," I said, kissing her forehead. I sat up and reached into the bedside table for the present I'd bought weeks ago.

"Close your eyes," I told her. "And sit up."

She did so, smiling. I brushed her hair aside and fastened the necklace around her neck. I kissed the nape of her neck gently.

"Okay," I murmured against her skin. "You can open your eyes now."

She looked down at the tear-shaped emerald on the simple silver chain and gasped.

"Oh, Severus! It's beautiful," she said and kissed me. Feeling quite pleased with myself, I kissed her back.

"It also has protective enchantments on it," I said. "To help keep you safe."

"It's _amazing_. I don't know how I'm going to match that, my gift isn't nearly as extravagant…"

"Just seeing you wear it is gift enough for me."

"Yeah? And I'm not wearing anything else," she said with a smirk.

"I am well aware," I said, also smirking.

She kissed me hungrily and moved to straddle me.

About an hour later we made our way downstairs. Olivia wore nothing but a fluffy black bath robe. Her hair was damp from sweat. I kissed her forehead as she sat down at the table.

"This is the best Christmas ever," I said as I moved over to the stove.

"…Are you cooking breakfast?" she asked, smiling slightly.

"I am."

"Can you even do that?" she teased.

"Of course I can cook," I snorted.

"I've got something for you. Be right back," she said, heading upstairs.

I cooked scrambled eggs, bacon and toast. When Olivia came back downstairs she had a gift wrapped in green and silver paper.

"Merry Christmas," she said, kissing my cheek.

I sat at the table to unwrap my gift while she fixed herself a plate of food. I pulled off the paper to reveal a very old book called _Potions Across the Globe_.

"Wow. I've never even heard of this. Where did you find it?" I asked.

"Showed up at Borgin and Burkes. Do you like it?"

"Of course I do. Thank you, Olivia…"

We ate breakfast in comfortable silence while I browsed through my book. Olivia was putting dishes in the sink when there was a knock on the door. We both froze and looked at each other.

"…How bad could it be?" I said, shrugging my shoulders and getting up to answer the door. She followed me into the hallway. I peered through the peephole and let out a sigh of relief and slight annoyance.

"It's Albus," I said. Olivia rolled her eyes.

"Well, open the door," she said.

"Aren't you going to go upstairs and put clothes on?"

"What? It's a robe, it's fine," she said with another eye-roll.

I rolled my eyes as well and opened the door.

"Merry Christmas Severus!" he beamed. "And Olivia!"

"Albus," I said, stepping aside to let him in. "What brings you here?"

"Just wishing you Christmas tidings…and I have a few things I would like to discuss with you."

We went to the study and Albus sat in the armchair. I sat on the couch and Olivia flopped down beside me, crossing her legs beneath her. Albus waved his wand and a bottle of sherry handed us each a glass.

"Merry Christmas," he said, toasting.

We drank deeply, then Albus set his glass aside.

"First off, Severus. I think, in light of recent circumstances, you should give Harry Occlumency lessons after the break."

"What? Why me?" I demanded.

"You're the only one who can do it. …I'm afraid it won't be long before I am forced to leave Hogwarts. You can, of course, have the use of the Pensieve for the time being. I understand there are some memories you do not wish for him to see."

"…Fine," I said, scowling, knowing there was no point in arguing. I knew I was going to regret it, but I also knew it was extremely important that the Dark Lord not be able to penetrate Potter's mind.

"Excellent," he said, sounding pleased. "I also have to tell you that the Slytherin Head Girl, Marilyn Scruggs, won't be returning after the holidays, so you will need to find a replacement."

"Why is she leaving?" I asked, frowning. "She is a bright girl and this is her last year here."

"Apparently young Marilyn has gone and gotten herself pregnant."

Olivia choked on her glass of sherry and set the glass aside, coughing. I raised an eyebrow at her and Dumbledore smiled politely.

"Sorry. She just always seemed like such a…prude," Olivia said.

"Just because she is pregnant, does not mean she can't continue her education. We have accommodated pregnant girls before," I said to Dumbledore.

"Her parents don't wish for her to return. It is my understanding they are making her marry the man who got her pregnant."

"Ooh, a _man_. Not a teenager, then?" Olivia asked interestedly.

Dumbledore shook his head and smiled.

"How is the healing potion coming along?" he asked us.

"Quite well. It will be done within the week, it has to stew for 24 hours before we can do anything else to it," I said.

"Excellent. I was at the hospital earlier visiting Arthur. They are quite busy this time of year. Family disputes- things are looking nasty down in the lobby. You may want to go in, Olivia…unless you and Severus have plans?"

"No, no plans," I said quickly. "She can go."

Albus smiled and stood.

"I'm afraid I have to go as well," he said. "You can keep the bottle- my Christmas gift to the two of you. Merry Christmas."

**Olivia's POV**

Snape saw Dumbledore out, then came and sat back beside me on the couch.

"So it's not all that uncommon, girls getting pregnant at Hogwarts?" I asked curiously, sipping my glass of sherry.

"You put a bunch of teenagers together like that, hormones raging, it's bound to happen. Not everyone has brains enough to whip up a contraceptive potion," Snape replied.

"Or they are too embarrassed to ask the nurse- I know I would be. How come I've never seen any pregnant girls around Hogwarts?"

"They are ways of hiding such things, charms and all," he said with a shrug. "…Do you want to be Head Girl?"

"What? No."

"But you'd be able to give detentions, use the Prefects bathroom, patrol the castle at night, sometimes with me…you even get your own private room, with a password."

I had to admit, that _did _sound pretty cool…

"Alright, I'll do it," I said with a grin.

"Good. …You should go to St. Mungo's," he said. "You promised Albus."

I groaned.

"But it's _Christmas_… Fine. I have to take a shower first- care to join me?"

He smirked and followed me up the stairs.

I worked with various patients, sorting out the results of some rather nasty family arguments, until a little after lunchtime. I decided to go check on Arthur- Smethwyck had agreed to try Pye's idea of stitches, but it hadn't worked out as well as he had hoped. It seems the venom in the wound merely dissolved the stitches and caused the wound to bleed even more than before.

I passed Potter and his friends, Hermione and Ron Weasley, in the hallway, though they didn't recognize me. I figured they were visiting Arthur for Christmas. As I approached Arthur's room, I saw Lupin leaving the room, shutting the door behind him.

"Remus," I said, greeting him.

"Oh, hello Olivia. What are you doing here?" he asked, smiling.

"Working. You?"

"Visiting Arthur. Only, well…"

He fell silent and I could hear the sound of Mrs. Weasley shouting at her husband.

"The stitches weren't your idea, were they?" he asked me.

"No, of course not. That was Pye's idea. Mine is much more clever and effective, though it is taking a while to complete."

"Let me guess- a potion?" he asked, smiling.

"Of course."

"Would you like to have a cup of tea with me? I believe there is a tearoom on one of the floors…"

"The fifth floor," I said. "And yes, of course."

"Merry Christmas, by the way," he said as we made our way upstairs. "How is Severus?"

I smiled to myself as I recalled our rather eventful morning. Lupin raised an eyebrow and I felt myself blush.

"Same as always," I said quickly.

"I'm not even going to ask why you are blushing. I don't want to know," he said.

"No, you don't. How have you been?"

"Well, the Order has kept me busy," he said with a shrug.

"Seen much of Tonks lately?" I asked casually.

He gave me a curious sort of look before responding.

"We've worked together some. Why do you ask?"

"You like her, don't you?"

"What? No. Don't be ridiculous- she is half my age."

"I can tell when you are lying Remus. You shouldn't deny what your heart feels. …She likes you, too, you know."

He said nothing until we reached the tea room. We both got a cup of tea and sat at a small table in the corner.

"What makes you say that?" he asked, sipping his tea.

"We are friends. Girls talk about this stuff."

"Hm… Did you tell her about us?" he asked, frowning.

"Well…" I said evasively.

"Did you tell her about you and Severus?"

"She guessed at that one."

"Olivia," he said, exasperated.

"You should invite her out for drinks sometime. I know she would say yes."

"She deserves someone better than me. Someone she can spend the rest of her life with, have children…be happy."

"Oh Remus," I said exasperated. "You sound just like Severus."

He made a face.

"Sometimes love is more than just 'having someone to spend the rest of her life and have children with'. That doesn't always mean happiness, you know. Happiness is being with the person you love, who you make happy and who makes you happy. You make Tonks happy…and don't try and tell me she doesn't make you happy."

"I'll think about it," he said with a sigh.

**Snape's POV**

I spent most of the day reading the book Olivia had gotten me for Christmas and working on the healing potion. It occurred to me that it had been exactly a year since Olivia and I began our…relationship. I wondered, and not for the first time, what would become of us after this year, when Olivia was no longer in school. It seemed foolish to think she would not still want to be together. For whatever reason, she loved me. Of that, I was certain. Could we possibly, with her no longer in school, pursue a normal relationship? One we would not have to hide?

Olivia returned late that evening, looking tired but pleased. She sat on the couch beside me and proceeded to tell me about all the cases she had handled today, which she said ranged from several incidents of accidental alcohol poisoning to incidents of intentional poisoning among relatives. I looked her over, thinking how cute she looked in her light blue Healer Intern robes with her hair pulled back. She smelled like Dittany and other herbs used in healing potions, including a faint scent of ginger. I leaned over and kissed her.

"Well aren't you feeling frisky?" she said, smiling against me.

"I guess that is one word to describe it," I said, also smiling. "I am quite proud of you, Healer Cain."

"I don't want to be a healer," she reminded me. "I want to be a veterinarian."

"Dr. Cain, then?"

"I suppose that works, yes," she said, still smiling.

"Well, Dr. Cain," I said mischievously. "I believe I have a snake who needs your immediate attention."

She giggled, blushing slightly.

"Oh my," she said through her giggling. "I believe that feels more like a basilisk than a snake."

I kissed her hungrily and she snaked her hands down into my pants.

"I think a kiss may be just the thing to cure your snake," she said with a naughty grin and I let out a low groan as she put her lips on me.

**Olivia's POV**

It was late the next day when Snape and I finished the Healing Potion.

"I can't believe it!" I exclaimed. "We did it!"

"Of course we did," Snape said, smiling. "We're the most talented Potioneers in all of Europe. Together, we can brew anything."

"I've got to get this to the hospital. You want to come with me?" I offered.

"No, that's quite alright. You go on ahead," I said.

I went upstairs and got dressed, then went back down and bottled the potion. I kissed Snape goodbye and Disapparated.

I Apparated into St. Mungo's and looked around for Healer Smethwyck. I couldn't find him, but I did find Pye who was moping, cleaning out bedpans with his wand, a task usually reserved for nurses. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"My stitches idea didn't pan out well," he explained. "Arthur's wife was furious."

"Well she won't be for long- Severus and I have just finished our Healing Potion. Has Smethwyck gone home?"

"Yes, but I can fetch him. Give me five minutes."

Ten minutes later, Smethwyck, Pye and I stood around Arthur Weasley's bedside.

"Olivia, if you will do the honors," said Smethwyck. I unwrapped Arthur's bandages, which revealed the still-open wounds which immediately began to leak blood. I uncorked the bottle of potion and allowed several drops of the Ultimate Healing Potion to fall onto Arthur's leg. The wound immediately began to smoke and new skin began to form. Smethwyck let out a cry of utter amazement.

Within minutes Arthur's wounds were healed and the potion almost completely used up. I looked at what was left in the bottle, then offered it to Smethwyck.

"No my dear," he said. "You made it, you keep it. In fact…"

Smethwyck pulled out his wand and with a flick transformed the bottle into a small crystal phial that could fit in the palm of my hand. He also fashioned a leather thong so that the vial could hang around my neck.

"Keep it with you always- it could mean the difference between life and death one day," he said. "Use it well."

**Author's Note: **Hey guys! Thanks for all the wondermous reviews and keep it up, pleeease! They keep me writing! Sorry if this chapter has very many errors, I didn't get much time to edit before uploading. And if anyone is trying to PM me, for whatever reason the site keeps disabling my PMs. Anyone else have this problem?

I will have more posted soon. In the meantime, why not go read and review my Sweeney Todd fanfic? It's really good! ;-)

Thanks, all!

~LilReporterGirl


	48. Year 7 Chapter 14

**Snape's POV**

Olivia and I spent as much time together as we could over the last few days of the holidays, made difficult by the fact that the Dark Lord had me at His side nearly every waking moment. He was furious that they had been able to cure the bite Nagini had inflicted upon Arthur Weasley. I had decided beforehand not to tell Him of Olivia's part in healing him and was glad I had not done so.

I was dreading our return to Hogwarts, not just because it meant a return to Umbridge, but because it also meant I would have to start Potter's Occlumency lessons. Albus told me I would have to go and tell the boy before the holidays were over- he was still trying to distance himself from Potter "for the boys own safety."

The last day of the holidays, after spending the majority of the day in bed with Olivia, I told her I had to go to headquarters to talk to Potter.

"About the Occlumency lessons?" she asked, propped up on one elbow in my bed, watching me get dressed.

"Yes."

"I would offer to go with you, but…"

"It's better if you don't," I finished. "Potter does not know you, does not know of your connection to me. We should keep it that way, as long as we can."

"Agreed," she said.

When I was dressed, she got up to kiss me goodbye.

"Don't torture him too much," she said with a grin. "It's the holidays."

"I'll try not to. I'll be back soon."

"I'll be here," she said, flopping back onto my bed.

I Apparated just outside the door of Grimmauld Place. I stepped inside quickly, the cold winter wind snapping at my heels as I closed to door. Molly Weasley came bustling out of the kitchen.

"Severus," she said with genuine surprise and a forced sort-of enthusiasm. "What brings you here?"

"Dumbledore asked me to come and speak with Potter," I said to her.

"I'll go and get him. Why don't you wait in the kitchen?"

I inclined my head and headed for the kitchen while she went up the staircase.

The moment I stepped into the kitchen, I regretted it. Anger flared up inside of me at the sight of Sirius Black sitting at the table. Almost as if he felt my waves of hatred, he turned his head and saw me standing there. His brown eyes narrowed.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his dislike obvious.

"I am here on Dumbledore's orders…to speak with Potter," I said, sitting at the opposite end of the table. "This letter explains it."

I gave him the letter Dumbledore had given me, addressed to him. It explained the need for Potter's Occlumency lessons.

"I am supposed to talk to the boy alone-" I began.

"Not gonna happen. This is my house, there are no private conversations that don't include me," he said.

"By all means," I said with a sneer. "Stay. It makes no difference to me."

Black 'hmmphed', crossed his arms and stared pointedly in the opposite direction. We waited in silence, the air heavy with mutual dislike.

A few minutes later the kitchen door opened and there stood Potter, dressed in Muggle clothing.

"Er," he said, looking around the room. I glanced up at him.

"Sit down, Potter," I said.

"You know, I think I'd prefer it if you didn't give orders here, Snape. It's my house, you see," Black said, leaning back in his chair. Annoyance flickered through me, but I ignored it. I just had to get through this, and I could get back to the beautiful girl waiting at home for me in my bed…

Potter sat down in a chair beside Black and faced me.

"I was supposed to see you alone, Potter," I sneered, "But Black-"

"I'm his godfather," Black said loudly.

"I am here on Dumbledore's orders," I said quietly, "but by all means stay, Black, I know you like to feel…involved."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Black demanded, letting his chair fall back on four legs.

"Merely that I am sure you must feel- ah- frustrated by the fact that you can do nothing useful for the Order."

Black flushed and I sneered in triumph as I turned to face Potter again.

"The headmaster has sent me to tell you, Potter, that it is his wish for you to study Occlumency this term," I said to him.

"Study what?" Potter asked blankly.

Idiot! I thought to myself, frustrated.

"Occlumency, Potter. The magical defense of the mind against external penetration. An obscure branch of magic, but a highly useful one," I replied, my sneer even more pronounced.

"Why do I have to study Occlu-thing?" he blurted out. I scoffed.

"Because the headmaster thinks it is a good idea. You will receive private lessons once a week, but you will not tell anybody what you are doing, least of all Dolores Umbridge. You understand?"

"Yes," Potter replied, "Who's going to be teaching me?"

I raised an eyebrow at him- why else would I be here?

"I am."

Potter looked as if someone had just told him his owl died. He quickly looked around at Black.

"Why can't Dumbledore teach Harry?" asked Black aggressively, "Why you?"

"I suppose because it is a headmaster's privilege to delegate less enjoyable tasks. I assure you I did not beg for the job," I said silkily. I got to my feet, wanting this to be over, before I had to kill Black.

"I will expect you at six o'clock Monday evening, Potter. My office. If anybody asks, you are taking Remedial Potions. Nobody who has seen you in my classes could deny you need them," I said to Potter and turned to leave.

"Wait a moment," said Black, sitting up straight. I turned around to face him, sneering.

"I am in rather a hurry, Black…unlike you, I do not have unlimited leisure time…"

"I'll get to the point, then. If I hear you're using these Occlumency lessons to give Harry a hard time, you'll have me to answer to," Black said, standing up. Taking this as a threat, I clenched my fist around my wand in my pocket, ready to fight. Black was a lot taller than me and looked a lot angrier.

"How touching," I sneered, "But surely you have noticed that Potter is very like his father?"

"Yes, I have," replied Black proudly.

"Well then, you'll know he's so arrogant that criticism simply bounces off him," I said sleekly. Black knocked his chair out of the way and strode across the table towards me, pulling out his wand as he went. I had my wand out before he had his completely out of his pocket.

"Sirius!" Potter said loudly, but Black ignored him.

"I've warned you, Snivellus," said Black, his face inches from mine, "I don't care if Dumbledore thinks you've reformed, I know better-"

"Oh, but why don't you tell him so?" I whispered, livid at the use of the offensive nickname he and Potter had called me in school. I quickly made my face blank again- I couldn't let him get to me.

"Or are you afraid he might not take the advice of a man who has been hiding inside his mother's house for six months very seriously?" I continued.

"Tell me, how is Lucius Malfoy these days? I expect he's delighted his lapdog's working at Hogwarts, isn't he?" Black asked.

"Speaking of dogs," I said softly, "did you know that Lucius Malfoy recognized you last time you risked a little jaunt outside? Clever idea, Black, getting yourself seen on a safe station platform…gave you a cast-iron excuse not to leave your hidey-hole in future, didn't it?"

Sirius raised his wand.

"NO!" Potter roared, standing between us, "Sirius, don't-"

"Are you calling me a coward?" roared Black.

"Why, yes, I suppose I am," I said quietly, ready for the fight I knew was to come.

"Harry- get- out- of- it!" Black snarled, pushing Potter out of the way. The kitchen door opened just then and the entire family of redheads walked in along with Mr. Weasley, who wore striped pajamas.

"Cured! Completely cured!" he announced brightly, grinning. Everyone froze and took in the scene before them. Black and I were still facing each other, wands out.

"Merlin's beard," said Mr. Weasley, no longer smiling, "What's going on here?"

We both lowered our wands, brought back to our senses by the unexpected entrance of so many witnesses. I swept across the kitchen past the Weasleys and paused at the door.

"Six o'clock Monday evening, Potter," I said coldly, then walked out the door.

**Olivia's POV**

I was stretched out on Snape's bed, naked, reading a book on dragons when he returned from Grimmauld Place. He looked annoyed, but smirked a little when he saw me.

"How'd it go?" I asked casually, shutting the book.

"Fine…well, Black and I almost dueled- would have, but Arthur Weasley showed up. They released him today, apparently."

"Yes, Healer Smethwyck said they might… what were you fighting about?" I asked as he sat down on the edge of the bed.

"The usual. I don't want to talk about it. …I was thinking we could go back to school this evening, so you can see your new room and learn some of your duties as Head Girl," he said.

"I guess that's okay… but why don't you let me take your mind off things first?" I asked coyly.

"I think that will be okay," he said with a smirk.

A while later, Snape and I left the house somewhat regretfully. We Apparated outside of Hogwarts and made our way up to the castle. The grounds were covered in snow and snow was still drifting lightly from the sky.

"It's so beautiful," I said, twirling around, trying to catch snowflakes on my tongue.

"Yeah. Beautiful," he murmured, watching me with a soft look in his black eyes.

I smiled and linked arms with him, snuggling against him to fight the chill.

"You…can't do that," he said, gently pushing me away. "You never know who could be watching."

I sighed and wrapped my cloak around myself.

"I love it here. I just wish we could be…us," I said with a sigh.

"I know what you mean," he said heavily.

As we got closed to the castle, we passed a group of Hufflepuff girls having a snowball fight. When they saw Snape coming they squealed and ran off, giggling. I glanced at him and smirked. He just rolled his eyes.

Snape and I made our way to the Slytherin Common Room together. There were a few students lingering, reading or chatting in the corner. They paid little attention to us as Snape led me through the door that led to the hall where the girls' dormitories were. At the end of the hall, there was a door almost identical to the others, but this one had no door handle. Snape pulled out his wand.

"We have to set a new password. What do you want it to be?"

I thought about it a moment.

"Mandrake," I said finally. The door glowed faint gold for a moment, then the glow disappeared and the door swung open.

It was a big room, bigger than my room at home. There was a queen-sized four-poster bed hung in green and silver satin. There was a large oak wardrobe and an oak writing desk. There was a fire crackling merrily in the fireplace by the bed.

"Wow… I could get used to this," I said, looking around.

"Why 'mandrake'?" Snape asked curiously.

"Huh? Oh… Well I always thought that if I ever had a kid…if I had a son, I would name him Mandrake," I said, carefully studying his reaction.

He looked surprised at first, then thoughtful.

"I like it. It's strong," he said.

"And potion-y," I added, smiling at him.

We didn't stay long in my room so no one would get suspicious. We walked through the corridors as he told me where I would patrol as Head Girl and when. Mostly it was in the dungeons.

"If you find any students out of bed, you are to bring them directly to me. You are also in charge of the Prefects, telling them what to do-"

"Aren't the Head Boy and Girl usually Prefects beforehand?"

"Not always. It isn't necessarily a prerequisite."

We finished walking around the corridors and went to his office, where he summoned us some tea.

We sipped silently for a while and he seemed to be thinking about something.

"So…if we had a girl, what would you name her?" he asked.

"Belladonna," I replied without hesitation.

"Huh. I like it," he said, smiling.

I smiled, too, my heart thrilled that he had said if we had a girl…

**Snape's POV**

I spent several nights a week attempting to teach Potter Occlumency. Needless to say, it didn't go well. He just didn't get it and with Occlumency, you either got it or you didn't.

The only thing that made the days easier was getting to do night patrols with Olivia.

One evening we were just finishing our patrol when Albus came into the dungeons. He looked quite anxious and pale.

"Severus I need to see you upstairs, immediately… it has happened."

Without waiting for an answer, he turned and hurried back upstairs.

"Olivia, finish up the patrol and return to your room," I instructed.

She nodded obediently.

"Can you tell me what's happened?" she asked quietly.

"It is what we have feared… there has been a breakout from Azkaban. I've got to go."

"…Be careful," she said breathlessly.

I couldn't help it- I made sure no one was around, then pushed her into the shadows and kissed her briefly. I left her standing in the shadows and headed upstairs.

Minerva was already in Albus' office when I got there.

"Kingsley just sent the Patronus… it happened almost an hour ago."

Minerva swallowed heavily.

"How many?" she asked anxiously.

"Ten," he said heavily.

"Who?" I asked, feeling a little sick to my stomach.

"The worst of the lot, it sounds like. Dolohov…Rookwood…Bellatrix."

I winced. Bellatrix Lestrange and I hated each other.

"I need you to go, Severus. Their first night out, they may try something. You know what to do."

I nodded and hurriedly left the castle.

As it turned out, the Dark Lord kept the escaped Death Eaters under control.

"There will be plenty of time to wreak havoc, but for now we lay low. The majority of the Wizarding world does not believe Potter that I have returned. We will see how the Ministry deals with the outbreak. Tonight, we will eat, drink…and welcome back into the fold those who have been most loyal to me, who never denied me, who sacrificed everything…for me."

Bellatrix let out a little cry and fell to his feet.

Lucius and I caught each other's eye and smirked.

The next morning we found out just how the Ministry was handling the break-out. Any hope that it might open their eyes to the situation at hand was crushed when the owls brought the Morning Prophet. The Minister was blaming the outbreak on Sirius Black, which I found amusing. Now he would definitely be too frightened to leave home. Albus seemed surprised that they had reported it at all, as desperate as the Minister was to keep people under the illusion that there was no danger.

I glanced down to the Slytherin table. Most of the students were eating breakfast cheerfully, oblivious to anything other than their own affairs. Olivia was one of the few reading the Prophet. She felt my eyes on her and met my gaze. She was pale-faced and tired-looking, like she had stayed up all night worrying. She smiled wearily at me, then returned her attention to the paper.

**Olivia's POV**

February came surprisingly fast with no more news of the escaped Death Eaters - or at least, nothing that was public knowledge. Snape spent more and more weekends away from school while Umbridge continued to make life harder for everybody. It was times like this I was glad to have my Internship at St. Mungo's.

One Friday evening, Snape summoned me to his office after dinner. We had patrol that night together and I wondered why he would call me down before I was supposed to meet him. I knocked on his office door and opened it.

"Good evening," he said as I shut the door behind me.

"What's up?" I asked curiously.

"Why does something have to be 'up'?" he asked. "I thought perhaps you would like to have tea with me before we go patrol."

"Uh, sure," I said, sitting in my usual chair.

We sipped tea and talked about mundane things- Quidditch, the weather, work at St. Mungo's. When we finished our tea, he cleared away our cups. WE left his office to begin our night patrol.

"Tomorrow is a trip to Hogsmeade," he said casually.

"Yeah, I know."

"It's also February 14th… Valentine's Day…"

"Stupidest holiday ever, in my opinion."

"Oh I agree. Completely ridiculous. …Would you like to go get a drink with me?"

I chuckled quietly.

"Of course," I replied. "Did you even have to ask?"

He smiled sheepishly.

The next morning I got up and began to get ready for my day with Snape. I dressed in a long black skirt, boots and a grey cashmere sweater, as it was still cold outside. I brushed my hair and applied some light makeup. I left my room and headed into the Common Room.

The Common Room was pretty much empty but I spotted Alexandria lying on a couch in the corner.

"What's wrong?" I asked, walking over to her.

"Nothing," she said with a sigh.

"Something."

"…It's just… It's Valentine's Day and I don't have a date."

"So?" I said with a snort. "It's a stupid holiday."

"I know. Normally I wouldn't care, but for some reason…"

"Well… I could stay and hang out with you, if you want."

She looked me over.

"No, Liv. I don't want to ruin your day. We can hang out tomorrow. I'll just stay here and read a book."

"If you're sure…"

"Totally. Have fun with… him," she said with a wink.

Snape met me on the steps outside the castle and we began walking towards the village. He looked close to smiling. There wasn't anyone else on the path- everyone was already in the village most likely- and he allowed me to link arms with him.

"What if we see Umbridge?" I asked quietly.

"She won't be in the village. She has a meeting with the minister, I saw her leave a little while ago."

"No good can come of her meeting with the minister," I said darkly.

"Well, I can think of some good that might come of it," he said, glancing around quickly then kissing me swiftly. I grinned.

"So, where are we going?" I asked curiously.

"I thought we might go to the Hog's Head for a drink first, then walk around some…maybe visit the Shrieking Shack," he said with a smile. "Where we can be alone."

"Sounds good to me," I said, smiling.

We didn't stay long at the Hog's Head because there were only a few people there and Snape felt uneasy.

"You never know who could be under some of these hoods," he whispered to me. "I know some of the Order frequent this place and if they saw us, they might say something to Dumbledore."

"You know, I don't think he cares, really," I said as we finished our drinks and left the pub. "Dumbledore. He always seems so delighted when he sees us together. And smiley."

"That's just his way. Anyway, I don't want him to know."

We walked around the outskirts of town together, not wanting to be seen together in the middle of the street. After a while we made our way to the Shrieking Shack where we spent the rest of the day together.

**Snape's POV**

The next few months were tough and passed agonizingly slowly. I had postponed by Defense lessons with Olivia in order to focus more fully on attempting to teach Potter Occlumency, pointless as it seemed. Our lesson was interrupted one evening by shrieks from upstairs. Umbridge had fired Sibyl Trelawney, the Divination teacher. Albus allowed Trelawney to stay, however. He hired Firenze the centaur as a replacement, an act that made Olivia loathe the fact she had abandoned Divination.

Shortly after the incident with Trelawney, Umbridge and a few of her favorite students found out about Potter's secret Defense meetings and one evening burst her way into the Room of Requirement to catch them in the act. I wasn't there when it happened, but heard about it all later from Minerva. Apparently Umbridge had called Fudge to Dumbledore's office and she caught Potter and took him up there. Somehow Albus turned it around to make it look like he had commissioned Potter to start the Defense group. Fudge had brought some Aurors with him, planning to arrest Albus, but Albus fled before he could do that. The next day, Umbridge declared herself Headmistress and life became a little bit harder for those who didn't cooperate with her. I knew better- I cooperated.

Or at least pretended to cooperate. When she tried to enter the Headmaster's office to take over, the office sealed itself against her. I could have easily opened it, but pretended to try and fail. Umbridge put in place an Inquisitorial Squad, a group of students she selected- most of them mine- who had a little more power than Prefects. Olivia joined the Squad to please Umbridge, but didn't abuse her powers like the others.

I was in my office one evening, grading papers but really thinking about Dumbledore and wondering how he was going to regain control of the school, when Olivia came in, looking glum.

"Umbridge wants to see you," she said with a sigh.

"Do you know why?" I asked, reluctantly getting up.

"No idea. …When's Dumbledore coming back?" she asked sadly.

"I wish I knew."

Olivia followed me back up to Umbridge's office. Filch was leaving as we approached, a gleeful look in his eye.

"Mr. Filch," I said with a nod.

"Professor," he said, acknowledging us. "Miss Cain."

"Good news?" I asked him.

"Educational Decree Twenty-nine is in the works," Filch said gleefully. "Reinstating the right to whip and other harsher punishments this school hasn't seen since the old days."

"Excellent," I said to him. "Congratulations."

Filch continued on down the hall, practically skipping. Olivia glanced at me and smirked.

"There's only one person I want chaining me up and whipping me," she whispered, glancing to make sure no one was around. "And that's you."

I chuckled quietly, then shushed her as I knocked on Umbridge's door.

"Come in," she said sweetly.

"You wished to see me, headmistress?" I asked, entering the room.

"Severus, yes. Miss Cain, you can stay if you want. Severus, I am in need of a truth potion. A strong one."

"Veritaserum, headmistress?" I asked.

"Yes, that will do nicely. I plan to interrogate Potter and other known members of this 'Dumbledore's Army' by order of the Minister himself."

"May I ask why, headmistress?"

"To see if they know the whereabouts of Albus Dumbledore…and any other information that may be useful to me."

"I see. Well, that I can do. I will send Olivia back with the potion momentarily."

"Thank you, Severus," Umbridge said.

Olivia and I left her office and started back down to the dungeons, my mind working quickly. It was almost lunchtime and no one else was around, but we still didn't speak until we made it to the Potions classroom and closed the door.

"What are you going to do? You aren't actually going to give it to her, are you?" Olivia asked me.

"No, of course not. Here," I said, taking an empty vial and walking over to the sink. I filled the vial with water. "I guarantee she won't know the difference. Colorless. Odorless. No one can tell the difference."

"I can tell the difference," Olivia said, examining the vial.

"You just watched me put it in there," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Besides that- it doesn't move like Veritaserum," she said, gently shaking the vial.

"Hm," I said with a small smile, impressed but not surprised. "I doubt anyone will look that close."

"You want me to take this to her now?" Olivia asked.

"Yes, and when you do you can come back to my office and help me grade these papers, if you want to."

"I will."

I was in my office waiting for Olivia to come back when I heard a loud BOOM that resounded through the castle and shook the walls of the dungeons. I sprang to my feet and hurried out the door and up the stairs, pushing my way through the sea of students trying to see what was going on.

Someone had set off a large crate of enchanted fireworks on the floor below Umbridge's office. Sparks were flying everywhere. A number of large dragons comprised entirely of sparks were zooming around emitting fiery bags as they went. Rockets with long silver tails were bouncing off the walls. Brilliant Sparklers were writing swearwords in midair all by themselves. I glanced around for Olivia and spotted her standing to the side, laughing as one sparkler spelled out the word POO in giant, red letters. I made my way over to her and we watched the chaos ensue. Umbridge tried Stunning the fireworks, but that only made them explode with such force they destroyed anything nearby. Vanishing only made them multiply by ten. After a minute, I gestured for Olivia to follow me away before Umbridge recruited me to try and help.

"I can't say for sure," Olivia said as we went back downstairs. "but I'd say that looks like a Weasley product."

The fireworks ran rampant through the castle throughout the rest of the day, getting into classrooms and disrupting class. None of the other teachers seemed to mind- in fact they seemed to enjoy summoning Umbridge to their classrooms to watch as she tried to get rid of the fireworks. I found them to be quite irritating and inconvenient and was glad when classes ended that day. By the next morning, they all seemed to have disappeared.

**Olivia's POV**

The day after the fireworks catastrophe, Snape was due to have an Occlumency lesson with Potter. I was in the library studying for finals when I heard Malfoy and some of his cronies come in.

"-found Montague jammed inside a toilet on the fourth floor," Malfoy was saying, ignoring the shushing of the librarian. "He had no idea how he'd gotten there, I got to stay and watch Professor Snape get him out."

"Was he alright?" Pansy Parkinson squealed.

"Snape was taking him to the hospital wing, last I saw."

I closed the book I was reading and got up. If Snape had been helping Montague, that must mean his lesson with Potter was over. I put my stuff away and headed down to the dungeons.

As I turned down the corridor I heard a loud crash and saw Potter fleeing Snape's office, a terrified look on his face. I watched him run as if the hounds of hell were chasing him, until he disappeared around the corner and presumably up the stairs out of the dungeon. I hurried into Snape's office to see what had happened, but yelped and jumped back when I stepped on dead cockroaches and shards of glass. Snape stood in the center of the room, looking livid, his wand clenched tightly in his hand, so hard that sparks were shooting out of the end of it.

"Hey. What happened?" I asked, carefully crossing the threshold, avoiding the dead roaches and glass.

"I threw a jar of cockroaches at Potter," he said, fighting to regain his composure.

"Well yeah, I can see that," I said. With a wave of my wand, I resealed the jar and it flew back onto the shelf. I shut the door behind me.

"What happened?" I asked quietly.

He muttered something about Pensieve and it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that Potter had been snooping through his most personal memories. I could only imagine what those could be- memories concerning his childhood, concerning Lily…concerning me.

"Are you okay?" I asked gently.

"No. I feel like killing someone," he said through clenched teeth.

I thought about it a moment.

"I have an idea. Will you follow me?"

He said nothing for a moment, then nodded and followed me out of the room.

Ten minutes later we were inside of the Room of Requirement, surrounded by practice dummies, all of which had Potter's face on them. The corners of Snape's mouth twitched a bit at that.

"There," I said. "Take your rage out on them. Explode them…whatever… The walls are sound proof."

I watched as Snape spent the next hour cursing all of the dummies into oblivion, using the Blasting Curse, Deprimo, and a number of other spells, some I had never even heard of. When he had finished he stood, panting slightly, with a look of grim satisfaction on his face.

"Thank you, Olivia," he said to me. "I needed that."

"No problem. …Want to talk about it?"

"Not particularly," he said darkly.

"Then we don't have to," I assured him. "…You know Easter holidays are coming up?"

"Yes, I am well aware."

"Well, I was just thinking…we could go home, couldn't we?" I asked in a small voice. He gave me a pained expression.

"I wish we could, Olivia. But I can't leave. Not without Albus here. I'm supposed to protect the school… And you should be studying for your finals. You graduate this year."

"I know," I said miserably.

"Don't sound so upset- this is supposed to be a happy time for you."

"I don't want to leave Hogwarts…or you," I said, feeling tears well up in my eyes.

"Olivia… You don't have to leave me. You may stay with me as long as you like."

"Really?"

"Of course. You can stay forever, if you want to."

"I like the sound of forever," I said with a smile.

The first day of classes after Easter break, Fred and George Weasley turned a deserted corridor into a swamp, stole back their confiscated broomsticks, and flew away from Hogwarts. I didn't witness it firsthand, but heard about it almost immediately in the Slytherin common room. They were badmouthing them of course, but I thought it sounded epic and wished I had been there to see. I hurried to the abandoned corridor to catch a glimpse of the swamp, which Umbridge and Flitwick were trying to vanish, though I suspected Flitwick wasn't really trying.

After the Weasley twins' departure, almost everyone seemed to be trying to one-up them. Soemone dropped a niffler into Umbridge's office and it made an awful wreck and was rumored to have tried to eat the rings off her fat fingers when she came in. Dungbombs and stink pellets were dropped so frequently in hallways everyone who could would perform a Bubble-Head Charm on themselves before leaving a classroom. I could have made a small fortune had I charged those who asked me to perform the charm for them.

The last Quidditch match of the season came quickly with Gryffindor playing Ravenclaw. Slytherin, of course, had not had a chance. Montague had been the team captain and he still had not recovered from his bout in the toilet. As much as I hated him, I felt sort of bad for him and offered my assistance to Madam Pomfrey whenever I could. A number of other Slytherin players had been hexed, though none could say who had done it. So, of course, we ended up supporting Ravenclaw.

It was a close win for Gryffindor, thanks- to everyone's surprise- to Ron Weasley. The Gryffindor supporters were thrilled and turned Malfoy's clever little song to fit their own use.

I spent most of the time studying for final exams. One evening I was out doing rounds with Snape- the only time we had alone together anymore, it seemed- when we spotted Umbridge coming out of the castle with several Aurors. We saw them before they had a chance to see us and Snape swept me away into the shadows. We watched as they made their way to Hagrid's hut, knocked, and were let in. We were silent a few minutes, waiting to see what would happen, when a loud BANG resounded across the grounds as the door burst open. Seven people walked out, including Hagrid. The other six were trying to Stun him, but the spells merely bounced off of him.

"They can't-!" I exclaimed, starting forward, but Snape grabbed the back of my robes and pulled me back.

"We must not interfere," he hissed quietly. Cries and yells echoed across the grounds.

"Be reasonable, Hagrid!" cried a loud voice.

"Reasonable be damned, yeh won't take me like this, Dawlish!" Hagrid roared. The doors to the castle opened, flooding the grounds with light.

"How dare you!" shouted a voice, "How dare you!"

It was Professor McGonagall.

"Leave him alone! Alone, I say!" she continued, "On what grounds are you attacking him? He has done nothing, nothing to warrant such-"

No fewer than four Stunners flew straight at McGonagall and hit her dead in the chest. For a moment she looked luminous, illuminated by an eerie red glow, then she flew backwards, landed on her back, and moved no more.

"No!" I cried, wanting to run to her, but again Snape held me back. He pulled me to his chest.

"Four stunners to the chest…at her age," I croaked. "There's no way she survived…"

I felt tears well up in my eyes.

"She'll be fine," he whispered in my ear. "She's a tough old bird."

"COWARDS!" bellowed Hagrid, "RUDDY COWARDS! HAVE SOME O' THAT- AN' THAT-"

He swung out, knocking two of his attackers out cold. He grabbed his dog, Fang, who had been knocked out by the Stunners, and ran to the gate. There was a long silence in which I felt sort of numb.

"Come, quickly," Snape said. "Back into the castle."

I wiped the tears from my face in the dark and followed him back into the castle. We pretended as if we had been making our rounds when the Aurors came back in, levitating McGonagall between them. She was unconscious, her hair and glasses askew, and a thin line of blood trickled from her mouth. I had to keep myself from uttering a cry.

"Is there anything we can do to help, headmistress?" Snape asked Umbridge.

"Yes," she said with her toad like smile. "You and Olivia can take Minerva to the hospital wing- this is not a job for Aurors."

"Of course, headmistress," Snape said smoothly.

We took over the task of levitating McGonagall and the Aurors followed Umbridge upstairs to her office. Snape and I walked the long walk to the hospital wing alone. I stopped fighting back my tears and let them flow. I was all cried out by the time we reached the hospital wing.

"Oh my-! What happened?" Madam Pomfrey asked, shocked. We set McGonagall down gently on the bed and Snape proceeded to explain what we had seen happen. Trembling slightly, I straightened McGonagall's glasses and used a tissue to wipe the blood from her mouth.

"Four Stunners? Was that really necessary? And at her age," Madam Pomfrey said fretfully, taking my place at her bedside. "Cowardice! That's what it was, sheer cowardice! As if any of them would dare take her on in broad daylight!"

"Madam Pomfrey," I said, clearing my throat. "I was wondering if I might stay and help? I've had some experience with things like this at St. Mungo's and…anything I can do to help…"

"Of course, dear. I would be glad of the help."

Madam Pomfrey and I stayed up all night, doing what little we could for McGonagall. Snape stayed for a while, but retired a little after midnight. It was obvious that she would have to be transferred to St. Mungo's, but it would have to wait until morning. I stayed by her side all night and when the Healers came the next morning, I got Umbridge's permission to fly out with them and did not return to Hogwarts that day.


	49. Year 7 Chapter 15

**Snape's POV**

Olivia was gone, she had accompanied McGonagall to St. Mungo's, and so it came to be that I was sitting alone in my office grading papers when Draco came bursting in.

"Professor- Professor Snape!" he gasped. "Umbridge needs you- immediately-!"

"What's happened?" I asked, standing and following him out of the room.

"She's just caught Potter and several of his friends inside of her office. I think he was using her fireplace, sir," Draco said. I quickened my pace.

When I entered the room I was not surprised to see several of my own students, members of the Inquisitorial Squad, holding various friends of Potter's. I glanced around the room, keeping my gaze indifferent, then looked to Umbridge.

"You wanted to see me, Headmistress?" I asked, sounding bored.

"Ah, Professor Snape," said Umbridge, smiling widely, "Yes, I would like another bottle of Veritaserum, as quick as you can, please."

"You took my last bottle to interrogate Potter," I said, observing her coolly. "Surely you did not use it all? I told you three drops would be sufficient."

Umbridge blushed slightly.

"You can make some more, can't you?" she asked, her voice becoming more girlish and sweet.

"Certainly," I said, my lip curling in distaste. "It takes a full moon cycle to mature, so I should have it ready for you in around a month."

"A month?" Umbridge squawked, her girlish demeanor fading, "A _month_? But I need it this evening, Snape! I have just found Potter using my fire to communicate with a person or persons unknown!"

"Really?" I said, appearing only faintly interested, "Well, it doesn't surprise me. Potter has never shown much inclination to follow school rules."

"I wish to interrogate him!" Umbridge shouted angrily, "I wish you to provide me with a potion that will force him to tell me the truth!"

"I have already told you," I said smoothly, "that I have no further stocks of Veritaserum. Unless you wish to poison Potter- and I assure you I would have the greatest sympathy with you if you did- I cannot help you. The only trouble is that most venoms act too fast to give the victim much time for truth-telling…"

"You are on probation!" shrieked Umbridge, and I raised an eyebrow at her. "You are being deliberately unhelpful! I expected better, Lucius Malfoy always speaks most highly of you! Now get out of office!"

I bowed ironically and turned to leave.

"He's got Padfoot!" Potter shouted desperately, "He's got Padfoot at the place where it's hidden!"

I paused with my hand on the door handle, quickly taking in the meaning of this message.

"Padfoot?" cried Umbridge, looking eagerly around, "What is Padfoot? Where what is hidden? What does he mean, Snape?"

I turned around and looked at Potter, using Occlumency on him to see what he had seen- the Dark Lord torturing Sirius Black.

"I have no idea," I said coldly to Umbridge, "Potter, when I was nonsense shouted at me I shall give you a Babbling Beverage. And Crabbe, loosen your hold a little, if Longbottom suffocates it will mean a lot of tedious paperwork, and I am afraid I shall have to mention it on your reference if you ever apply for a job."

I left quickly, closing the door behind me with a snap. I hurried to my office and immediately sent a Patronus to headquarters, to see if Sirius Black was there. It took a while, but I received a confirmation that he was, meaning that what Potter had seen was likely a false image, planted by the Dark Lord, or- less likely- only a dream.

I made my way back to Umbridge's office to see what had become of the situation to find only the members of the Inquisitorial Squad left in the office- several had been Stunned and Malfoy was being attacked by what looked like flying boogers with wings. With a wave of my wand, I reversed all the spells.

"Where are Potter and Umbridge?" I demanded, pulling Draco to his feet.

"She went into the forest with Potter and Granger. They said something about a weapon- a weapon they've been building on Dumbledore's orders, sir," he said.

"How long have they been gone?" I asked.

"Well over an hour."

"Right, the lot of you head back to your Common Room," I instructed. They did as asked.

I went outside and scanned the grounds for any sign of Potter or Umbridge, but saw nothing. I waited as long as I could, to see if they would come out, but they did not. _The idiot boy probably actually thinks Black is in danger at the Ministry_, I thought to myself.

I went back to Umbridge's office to find it empty and used her fireplace and Floo Powder to contact Grimmauld Place. Sirius Black was sitting on the couch when my head arrived in Grimmauld Place.

"What is your head doing in my fireplace, Snivellus?" Black asked disdainfully and spit at me. "And why did you need to know if I was here?"

"Be quiet and pay attention- who else is here?" I asked.

"Remus, Tonks, a few others. Why-"

"Get them- _NOW_. Potter may be in danger."

Black leapt to his feet and let out a shout. Immediately, Lupin, Tonks, Moody and Kingsley Shacklebolt came into the sitting room.

"What's happened?" Shacklebolt asked, kneeling by the hearth.

"Is Dumbledore here?" I asked anxiously.

"No, but he's due back soon."

"Soon may not be soon enough," I said and quickly recounted what happened.

"We'll go to the Ministry and see if Potter has made it there," Kingsley said. "If he is there, we will help him."

"I'm going, too," Black said.

"No," I said from the fireplace. "Someone must remain here to tell Dumbledore what has happened…and if Potter _hasn't _made it to the Ministry, if he is in the forest, you'd be facing certain death."

Black swore loudly and sat back down on the couch while the others prepared to leave.

"I'm going back to search the forest," I told them. "Just in case."

**Olivia's POV**

It was late at night and I was still at St. Mungo's when we got wind of what had happened at the Ministry of Magic- the appearance of the Dark Lord, the standoff between the Death Eaters, Potter, some of his friends from school, and members of the Order (though the last part wasn't public knowledge). We got a flow of injured witches and wizards right about that time, including Tonks who had been knocked out cold. I was working on Tonks when I got a message saying Healer Mycroft required my urgent assistance in Exam Room 9. I hurried there and, when I opened the door, was surprised to see Snape waiting for me. When I closed the door behind me, several people appeared, as if out of thin air- Death Eaters, all of them sporting various injuries.

"Severus- you can't bring them here! What if someone finds them?" I asked anxiously.

"It's chaos out there right now, did you see how easily I Imperiused that Intern to find you and I've Confunded just about everyone on this floor," he said.

"Severus," I said disapprovingly.

"Oh come on. We need your help. The sooner you help us, the sooner we'll be out of here."

"Oh alright fine. Just let me grab a few things."

I came back as quickly as possible and tended a number of wounds. Snape didn't bother introducing them to me, it would have been wasting time. I treated a man with a swollen, bleeding eye; others with a variety of cuts and spell-related injuries. As I finished each of them, they Disapparated, until it was just me and Severus.

"Why did you bring them here?" I asked.

"The Dark Lord's orders," he said apologetically. "I've really only got a moment, I've got to go back. You may want to get back to the castle as soon as possible, someone can tell you what's happened."

"I've heard bits and pieces. Tonks is here… W-were there any casualties?" I asked, fighting to keep my voice strong.

"…Sirius Black was killed by Bellatrix Lestrange," he said. "That's the only one I've heard about."

I bit my lip anxiously. He glanced at the clock.

"I've got to go," he said and kissed me swiftly before Disapparating. I sighed heavily, then left the room and got back to work.

It was late when I returned to Hogwarts and I had the energy to do little more than crawl into my bed and fall asleep. I slept until well past noon the next day. When I did wake, I hurried down to Snape's office and he recounted the night's events for me.

After lunch I was heading down the stairs, making my way outside, when I spotted Potter talking with Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle. I slipped away to the other side of the staircase to listen to what they were saying.

"-You think you're such a big man, Potter," said Draco, advancing towards Potter with Crabbe and Goyle flanking him, "You wait. I'll have you. You can't land my father in prison-"

I started at this- Snape had failed to mention that Lucius had been captured.

"I thought I just had," said Potter. I snickered quietly.

"The dementors have left Azkaban," said Draco softly. "Dad and the others'll be out in no time…"

"Yeah, I expect they will," said Potter, "Still at least everyone knows what scumbags they are now-"

Draco went for his wand, but Potter was faster. He had drawn his wand before Draco even laid a finger on his pocket.

"Potter!" Snape said loudly, entering the Entrance Hall.

"What are you doing, Potter?" Snape asked coldly as ever as he strode over to the four of them. I stayed hidden in the shadows.

"I'm trying to decide what curse to use on Malfoy, sir," said Potter fiercely. I chuckled quietly and Snape merely stared at him.

"Put that wand away at once," Snape said curtly, "Ten points from Gryff-"

Snape looked toward the giant hourglasses on the walls that kept track of house points and sneered.

"Ah, I see there are no longer any points left in the Gryffindor hourglass to take away. In that case, Potter, we simply have to-"

"Add some more?"

Professor McGonagall had just come stumping up the stone steps leading into the castle. She was carrying a tartan carpet bag in one had and leaning heavily on a walking stick with her other, but otherwise she looked quite well. I felt a strong surge of happiness at the sight of her and almost rushed to her side. Instead I hung back to see what would happen.

"Professor McGonagall!" said Snape, striding forward, "Out of St. Mungo's, I see!"

"Yes, Professor Snape. I'm quite as good as new. You two- Crabbe- Goyle-"

She beckoned them forward imperiously and they came, shuffling their feet awkwardly.

"Here," she said, thrusting her traveling cloak into Goyle's hands and her carpetbag into Crabbe's, "Take these up to my office for me."

They turned and walked away up the marble staircase.

"Right then," said McGonagall, looking at the hourglasses on the wall, "Well, I think Potter and his friends ought to have fifty points apiece for alerting the world to the return of You-Know-Who! What say you, Professor Snape?"

"What?" he snapped, "Oh- well- I suppose…"

"So that's fifty each for Potter, the two Weasleys, Longbottom, and Miss Granger," said McGonagall, and a shower of rubies fell down into the bottom bulb of the Gryffindor hourglass, "Oh- and fifty for Miss Lovegood, I suppose. Now you wanted to take ten from Mr. Potter, I think, Professor Snape- so there we are…"

A few rubies retreated into the upper bulb, leaving a respectable amount below nonetheless.

"Well, Potter, Malfoy, I think you ought to be outside on a glorious day like this," said McGonagall briskly. Potter at once thrust his wand back inside his robes and headed straight for the doors without a second glance behind himself. Draco, scowling, retreated back towards the dungeon Common Room. McGonagall headed for the Grand Staircase with a satisfied expression on her face. Making sure that Potter was gone, I headed up the staircase.

"Professor McGonagall!" I said loudly and she stopped, turning to face me. Unable to help it, I hugged her thin frame. She looked surprised and I heard Snape laughing from down the stairs.

"I'm glad to see you're doing better, Professor," I said, stepping back from her, my face slightly red.

"Thank you Miss Cain," she said, seeming touched by my concern. "I heard you played a large part in my healing."

"Well, I stayed as long as I could and made sure you got the absolutely best Healers, at any rate."

"And for that, I thank you."

"Olivia," Snape said from down the stairs and beckoned for me. "Let her rest."

I nodded once to McGonagall, then went down to where Snape was waiting.

"Why don't you help me finish grading these final exams?" he asked me. "Keep you busy for a while."

"Okay," I said with a shrug.

The last few days of term seemed to fly by, much to my dismay, as it meant the end of Hogwarts for me. I spent as much time as possible wandering the castle and the grounds, trying to etch it into my memory forever. The last day of school came. All those who had been injured in the battle at the Ministry had been released from the hospital wing, completely healed, and Tonks had been released from St. Mungo's after only a few days. I waved goodbye to my classmates as they lined up to board the Hogwarts Express and I felt myself tearing up. I felt a hand on my shoulder suddenly and looked up into Snape's black eyes.

"Wanna go for one last walk around the grounds before we go home?" he asked me. I nodded wordlessly and we started down the path towards the lake. After a moment of hesitation, Snape took my hand.

"You are officially no longer a student," he said with a small smile.

"Does this mean our…relationship doesn't have to be so secret?" I inquired.

"Well…" he said slowly. "I would still rather Albus not know. You know how he is. He would hold it over me and…_tease _me with it. And it may be best to keep it as secret as possible, still…it could be seen as a weakness, if someone were to choose to use it against me… Someone could try to hurt you, to get to me."

"I understand," I assured him, squeezing his hand tight.

**Snape's POV**

Olivia and I walked along the water's edge for a while, then up the path to the Quidditch pitch. She tugged on my hand and I followed her out onto the field. She looked around and sighed.

"I wish I had gotten a chance to play Quidditch again after my second year," she said heavily. "Montague is such an asshole."

"I could have forced them to let you on the team," I said. I had offered, many times.

"Yeah, but then the other players would not respect me. They'd think I had an unfair advantage."

I inclined my head. We walked around the field for a few minutes, then Olivia led me underneath the stands and kissed me.

"I always wanted to do that," she said with a grin. "Students were always sneaking off under here to make out during Quidditch games."

"I think students have been doing that since the school was established," I replied, also smiling.

After kissing some more under the bleachers, we made our way back towards the castle. We were halfway there when Albus appeared, seemingly out of nowhere. I quickly let go of Olivia's hand and he looked the other way, pretending not to notice.

"Lovely day, isn't it?" he said, looking around.

"Yes sir. Olivia was just taking one last walk around the grounds."

"Oh I somehow doubt this will be your last time on these grounds, Miss Cain," Albus said, smiling at her, his blue eyes twinkling. "Are you staying with Severus this Summer?"

"She is," I said stiffly. "She is welcome to stay as long as she likes."

Olivia and Albus shared a smile. I cleared my throat.

"I figured it would be best for her, with her continued work for the Order and her likely imminent work for the Dark Lord," I continued. Their smiles faded at this.

"She is in good hands then," Albus said. "Take care, you two."

"We shall," I said.

With that said, he continued on down the path and we continued into the castle. Olivia seemed a little perkier.

"I think I'm ready to go home now," she said. "Since Dumbledore said it won't be my last time in the castle."

"Yes, if Dumbledore said it, it must be true," I said sardonically, but meaning it. "Let me grab my things, then we can _both _go home."

**Author's Note: **Phew! That's the end of year 7. Can we say yaaay? And Thanks to all who have stuck with it this far, as always, I love you guys! Coming up soon will be "After Hogwarts, Year 1" but in the meantime, please leave me some nice Reviews, I always check them! Oh and if you are a Sweeney Todd fan and haven't read my short fic, Vagabond, yet then read it because it's awesooooome! And Review that, too! Love you guys!

~LilReporterGirl


	50. After Hogwarts Year 1 Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **Hey guys! Time to start a new chapter in the life of Olivia and Severus, this being a post-Hogwarts time for them. I'm sure you're all eager to start reading, so I'll jump right into it! Don't forget to review!

~LilReporterGirl

**Olivia's POV**

After the night at the Ministry when Snape brought the injured Death Eaters to St. Mungo's, it was not unusual for him to bring me Death Eaters in need of healing. MY internship at St. Mungo's had expired when I graduated from Hogwarts, so he usually brought them to the house. Sometimes he took me to Malfoy Manor to heal an injury, but the Dark Lord was never there. I did meet a number of Death Eaters, however, though I found them an overall unpleasant lot.

It was Snape who came up with the brilliant idea of my opening a business. It happened about a week after school let out- Snape had brought Avery and Nott to get a few minor injuries healed. After they left, he fumed while I cleaned up my supplies.

"I hate that I have to bring them to the house," he complained. "I don't want them knowing where I live… Maybe I could talk to Dumbledore about getting you another job at St. Mungo's."

"What I need is a different location. Even at St. Mungo's I'd have to be sneaking around- everyone knows what the Death Eater's look like, thanks to the Ministry."

"…That's it then- get another location."

"What do you mean?"

"You've always wanted to have a vet clinic, right? So rent a place. Ellen left you money and regardless, prices are low now. You could have your veterinary practice…and heal Death Eaters in the back."

"That's perfect!" I exclaimed. "You're brilliant, you know that?"

The next day we made a trip to Diagon Alley- though it hardly looked like Diagon Alley anymore. All the windows were covered with wanted posters and tips for staying safe. Instead of cheerful witches and wizards plying their wares, there were sketchy-looking characters selling "protective" amulets and other items of a similar nature.

Several of the usual shops were boarded up.

"What-?" I asked, looking at Snape.

"Death Eaters," he said grimly.

"In just a few weeks?"

"The world knows they are back- they don't have to hide anymore. You give Death Eaters free reign, and this is what happens…"

"But it's senseless! I mean, the ice cream shop? Really?"

"They do it for fun," he said with a shrug, eyes cast down. "No one ever said it had to make sense."

We continued to walk down the street, looking at all the vacant locations. There were plenty of vacancies- those that hadn't been dragged off by Death Eaters had left out of fear.

"So you actually _want _me to work _here_? Doesn't look particularly _safe_, does it?" I asked Snape. He looked at me quickly.

"It will be safe for _you_," he said. "I can make sure of that."

I said nothing, but kept walking.

We soon passed a joke shop which was the only brightly-lit shop in the whole Alley. It was owned by the Weasley twins. I didn't go in, but did wonder to myself how such a happy-looking place had escaped the notice of the Death Eaters.

Not far down the street from the Weasley's shop I found a vacant shop. It had been a meat shop, but with a little work, I could see it being the perfect place for me. We talked to the landlord and settled on a reasonable rent price.

So the next few days I worked on the shop, cleaning it up. Snape helped some, but for all his brilliance he was absolutely dreadful at any sort of household type spells. I was better off working without him.

One evening I was working late, alone. Snape had been called away to do something for the Dark Lord. I was levitating a bag of trash out the back door to the dumpster when I heard a rattling noise. Suddenly, everything went cold. I looked up in time to see several dementors swooping over the fence towards me. I dropped the bag of trash I had been levitating and it burst on the ground. I grasped frantically at a happy feeling- settling quickly on one of Snape and I lying in bed, the way it felt to be wrapped in his arms…

"_Expecto Patronum!" _I shouted. My silvery wolf Patronus leapt out of my wand, snapping at the dementors and bounding after them when they turned tail and fled. I was feeling quite pleased with myself when I heard a scream.

I quickly cast my Disillusionment Charm and leapt over the fence, wand in hand. I followed the sound of screams down the streets to where several masked Death Eaters were harassing a Muggle-born woman who owned a bakery.

"We don't want your kind here!" one said. They were all firing jinxes at her.

"Abomination!" they hissed.

I wanted to yell for them to stop, but if I were discovered it would be the end of me for sure. Ministry wizards arrived on the scene and the Death Eaters flew off, cackling and shooting spells out behind them.

One of the stray spells shot into a building I recognized immediately- it was Ellen's old bookstore. The building caught fire from the spell.

"No!" I cried and raced into the burning building. I felt my Disillusionment Charm falter as I got close to the flames- several of the Ministry wizards cried out after me. The majority of the shop was already aflame, but I felt I could still save it. I _had _to.

"_Augementi!_" I cried and coughed from the smoke. The spell wasn't nearly powerful enough, but I kept trying.

It was useless and the smoke got so thick I couldn't choke out a spell or even see. I couldn't move. I tried to take a step forward and collapsed. That's when everything went dark.

**Snape's POV**

I was flying North with Rookwood. The Dark Lord had received intelligence of the traitor Karkaroff's whereabouts and had sent us in search of him. I was thinking about what I was going to do when we found him when Fawkes the Phoenix appeared above me. I nearly fell off my broomstick, startled as I was. The bird dropped a note down to me, then vanished.

"What in the bloody hell-" Rookwood said, but I ignored him, reading the hastily scribbled note. My heart dropped.

_There's been an attack in Diagon Alley. Olivia has been hurt. Meet us at St. Mungo's._

_ ~Albus_

"I've got to go," I said weakly to Rookwood and before he could protest, I Disapparated. The Dark Lord would certainly be mad, but I didn't care about that at the moment- my mind could only think _Olivia_.

When I Apparated into the lobby of St. Mungo's, Albus was waiting for me.

"Where is she?" I demanded fiercely, grabbing him.

"She's going to be fine, Severus-"

"_Where_?" I repeated forcefully.

He observed me silently for a few seconds- I felt like hours- then motioned for me to follow him.

He led me upstairs to a room where a team of Healers stood around a bed. I shoved one of them out of the way so I could see.

She was badly burned in several places. There was a thick, healing paste over half her face. Several untreated burns were on her arms and legs. A Healer was listening at her chest with a stethoscope. Olivia opened her eyes when I stood before her. She smiled sort of sheepishly at me, but it turned into a wince.

"She needs a potion to clear the smoke from her lungs," the Healer said. "The rest of you go and fetch some more Burn Paste."

The Interns left the room so only Dumbledore, myself, and the Healer- it was Healer Mycroft- remained.

"Is she going to be okay?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly.

"Oh she'll be right as rain in no time. The smoke got into her lungs is all. The burns will heal rapidly- she's a strong girl," Mycroft said.

I collapsed into a chair by her bed, relieved.

"What happened?" I demanded, looking at Albus.

"There was a Death Eater attack in Diagon Alley. The old bookstore, Ellen's store, caught fire. She tried to stop it," he said.

"_Alone_? What was she even doing down there?"

"They were harassing Muggleborns and there were-"

"_Dementors_," rasped Olivia, her voice hoarse.

"Hush- do not try to talk," Mycroft told her. "Lay back and close your eyes- do I need to get you a Sleeping Draught?"

She shook her head and lay back.

The others returned. I stayed by her side while they dabbed on the bur paste. She reached blindly for my hand and grasped it tightly before she would let them give her the potion. I stayed with her- even when the Mark on my arm burned like fire. I clenched my left first and grit my teeth, determined to ignore it. Albus noticed, but said nothing. Soon Mycroft and the others left.

"She needs to rest and heal, but you may stay if you like," Mycroft said to me. Then he left. It was just Dumbledore, myself, and a sleeping Olivia.

"…Where were you before you came here?" he asked me.

"Rookwood and I were going to hunt down Karkaroff," I said reluctantly "We were flying North."

"And you just left? Without explanation?"

"…Yes."

"He is going to be furious."

"He _is _furious," I said, flexing my stinging wrist.

"You should not have left. These are war times- you know how important it is not to lose focus when a comrade is injured-"

"She's more than just a comrade!" I barked without thinking. "She-…_You _sent me the note, saying she had been hurt and was in the hospital, what was I to think?"

"I would not have told you, had I known, I would have told you to remain where you were! What if this foolish mistake causes you to lose your life?"

I said nothing, but looked at Olivia. She appeared to be deeply asleep.

"You need to go to Him," Albus said quietly. "Explain."

"No!" I said defensively. "It can wait-"

"It's hurting you, Severus."

"I will not leave her."

"Severus you're being ridiculous. She is going to be fine. Now go- or have you forgotten your promise?"

I stared at him, eyes blazing. I squeezed Olivia's hand before releasing it and standing. I said nothing to Albus, conveying my feelings through a burning look, and Disapparated.

**Olivia's POV**

When I awoke in the hospital I was alone. I felt slightly panicked. I had heard Snape and Dumbledore's conversation. Dumbledore had remained a while after Snape left. He just stood there, looking at me, as if pondering something. Then he left.

I had no concept of how much time had passed and I feared for Snape. I sat up, fighting back a wave of nausea as I did. The burns on my arms and legs had healed. My lungs felt a little sore, but I could breathe clearly. I didn't wait for Healer Mycroft to come by and tell me that I should take it easy and rest- I already knew that and I was too worried about Snape to wait. Feeling slightly guilty about leaving after all they had done to help me, I closed my eyes and Disapparated.

As soon as I appeared in the sitting room, I knew Snape had not been home. It was cold and dark in the house. I was about to Disapparate to Hogwarts when I realized I was wearing nothing by a hospital gown. I needed clothes…and a shower. I smelled like smoke and burn paste.

_Okay, _I reasoned with myself. _If he isn't back by the time I'm done showering, I'll head straight to Dumbledore_.

I hurried through my shower, taking the time to wash my hair well so it wouldn't stink. I towel-dried my hair and hurried into my room to dress. I heard a noise downstairs and hurried down, pulling a t-shirt over my head.

It was Snape, of course, and he'd lit a fire in the heart.

"You're home," he said, surprised.

I nodded.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay…" I said quietly.

He sighed heavily.

"…We need to talk," he said, looking at the floor.

I noticed that he had a mark across his face, as if he had been slapped or hit with a Stinging Hex. I was on the verge of asking about it when he spoke, shocking me.

"I think we need to take a break," he said quickly.

"Wha- what?" I asked, taking a step backwards. Surely I hadn't heard him right?

"I worry too much about you and it is affecting my work. I… I just need a few days to myself to think things through. I'll go stay at the Leaky Cauldron-"

"No," I said immediately. "_I'm _leaving. It's your house, after all. You are no longer bound by law to let me stay, I'll just go. I thought-"

"Olivia, you don't have to leave, I just…"

"Go fuck yourself, Severus," I said and Disapparated, leaving him looking stunned.

**Author's Note: **You guys know what to do- read and review! I know you all must hate me right now, but I promise I will update soon! Love y'all and thanks for reading!

~LilReporterGirl


	51. After Hogwarts Year 1 Chapter 2

Unable to think of any place to go right offhand, I Apparated in Diagon Alley, right outside my clinic. I felt like crying, but I forced the thought out of my mind, at least temporarily. For now, I focused on finding a place to stay. I could stay at the clinic- but that would mean being alone with my thoughts. Not the best idea- and there was a slight insect problem I hadn't gotten under control yet.

My next through was headquarters, but the Order had vacated the house after Sirius' death, unsure if it was still safe. Pity- there had always been extra rooms there and Sirius would have liked the company.

I could find Lupin…but his wasn't the sort of company I wanted now. I needed a friend…someone who understood what I was going through…

The answer hit me like a brick and I mentally slapped myself for not thinking of her sooner. Tonks had an apartment in London- I had visited her a few times. She'd been quite depressed recently- having professed her love to Lupin, he had denied her.

I knocked on Tonks' apartment door. She opened it a moment later, leaving the chain locked. A single brown eye peered out the crack of the door and the tip of her wand.

"Olivia… I'm supposed to ask you a security question, otherwise how do I know you're you?"

"I _am _Olivia… I come because…because Severus Snape has broken my heart and you are only person who knows about us…though I suppose now there is no _us_."

With that said I burst into tears. Tonks opened the door and pulled me into a hug.

"Olivia, I'm so sorry…what happened?"

She shut the door and led me over to the couch, which was bright purple. I wiped my eyes, willing myself to quit crying. I told her what happened, all the while looking around me so as not to start crying again.

Tonks' apartment was a one-bedroom apartment, but it was rather exciting. The walls were bright blue, the couch bright fuchsia. She had a Muggle television set- her Dad was a Muggle. The place was untidy- cups and plates were on the coffee tables, there was trash and empty pizza boxes on the floor- and although I wasn't a particularly messy person, I didn't mind.

"What an asshole," Tonks said when I finished talking. I automatically opened my mouth to defend him, then closed it.

"You're welcome to stay as long as you like, but I'm afraid I'm not very cheerful company," she said.

"I don't want cheerful company. …We've both had our hearts broken."

She was silent a moment, staring blankly at the TV screen.

"You know what we need?" she said finally.

"What?"

"Pizza and beer."

She went into her kitchen and reappeared a moment later with a case of beer and a phone. She handed me a beer, then called and ordered us a pizza.

While we were waiting on the pizza, Tonks flipped through the channels on the television. Not being used to such things, it sort of gave me a headache, seeing all the rapid colors and movement…but the beer helped.

The pizza came and we stayed up late, drinking and eating and watching some slasher horror movie. She told me she had been having trouble with her Metamorphing since Lupin turned her down. Try as she might, she couldn't change her hair from the lanky brown nor her eyes from the deep, sad brown they had assumed. By the time the movie was over I was nodding off. It had been a long day and I was still exhausted. _And _my throat and lungs still hurt from smoke inhalation. I thought about mixing a simple potion to help, then remembered that all of my stuff was at Spinner's End. I hadn't even grabbed any clothes.

Tonks brought me a pillow and blankets from her room so I could sleep on the couch.

"Goodnight Liv," she said, going towards her room.

"Night," I said, stretching out on the couch. I was asleep almost as soon as my head hit the pillow.

**Snape's POV**

I was an idiot.

_Why is it I can never say or do the right thing? _I thought as I lay, tossing and turning, alone in my bed. I hadn't wanted to her to leave- I still couldn't believe she was gone.

I loved her. I missed her. I had just been upset, after having been reprimanded by both Albus and the Dark Lord. I hadn't meant for her to leave.

I couldn't sleep. Not alone. Not without her in my bed. I never realized how much I would miss her small warm body next to mine. I had taken it for granted over the last year and a half.

The Dark Lord had been mad- not furious, but mad. He requested an explanation and I told him the truth. How she had been attacked by dementors and had followed the sound of screams to where her mother's bookstore was on fire. He had sneered and called her foolish. She should have known better than to go out alone and night and to try and fight a fire alone. I defended her without even thinking and had received a quick slap to the face for my troubles.

I tossed and turned in my bed for a little over an hour before getting up. I made my way to Olivia's room and crawled into her empty bed. I buried my face in her pillow and inhaled deeply. My heart ached for her. Before falling asleep, I decided that tomorrow I would go and look for her.

**Olivia's POV**

That night I dreamed about Snape. I dreamt he had been killed by the Dark Lord. Lucius Malfoy had brought his body to me, all the while sneering and trying to flirt with me. I'd dreamt his funeral and when they put his body in the ground I was standing near the edge and fell into the hole. I fell down and down through the darkness and became wrapped in what I soon realized were the shrouds a body would be wrapped in.

I woke myself with a scream. Tonks came running into the room where she found me crying and thrashing about, tangled up in the sheets. She helped me sit up and get untangled.

"B-bad dream," I said, shaking. Without saying anything she led me into her room.

"You can sleep in here- but I warn you, I tend to move around a lot in my sleep," she said.

We crawled into bed and while she went back to sleep almost immediately, it took me a little longer, fearing that I might slip into the dream again.

When I finally did get to sleep, I was dimly aware of Tonks moving around beside me, though a part of me thought it was Snape. To still him, I moved and snuggled up. Tonks did not wake, but stopped moving and we both fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

I awoke the next morning warm and snuggled up with someone I assumed to be Snape. Slowly I realized that the person my arm was around- and whose arms were around me- was much too petite to be Snape. I opened my eyes and everything came flooding back to me. Tonks opened her eyes, momentarily confused- then she grinned at me. She sat up and stretched.

"I think I slept better than I have in _weeks_," she said with a yawn. I chuckled weakly.

Tonks was wearing nothing but shorts and a tanktop and when she stretched, I noticed a tattoo on her left shoulder. It was of a black and blue butterfly.

"What's with the tattoo?" I inquired.

"Hm? Oh, I got that when I was a teenager. I can even hide it with my Metamorphising…_if _I could do it right."

"That's pretty cool," I remarked.

"Yeah. Hurt like hell though."

We got up and went into the living room to eat breakfast, which consisted of cold pizza and orange juice.

"I guess I'm going to have to go and get some of my stuff today- clothes, potions ingredients…you know, the essentials…" I said to which Tonks rolled her eyes and smiled slightly.

"I can go with you, but it will have to wait until this afternoon. I have an assignment this morning. We can go after lunch. You can stay here, or go work on your shop until I get back."

"Okay," I said with a slow nod.

That is how I found myself wandering Diagon Alley for most of the morning. I was half-heartedly looking for some sort of bug spray for the clinic, but mostly I was just avoiding going there. I was worried that, for whatever reason, Snape would come looking for me…and I just wasn't ready to face him alone.

Close to lunchtime I found a good insect repellent and finally went to the clinic. I cleaned up a bit so it would look like I had done something today and sprayed the bug spray. I nearly had a heart attack when someone knocked on the door but was relieved to find it was only Tonks.

"Are you ready?" she asked me.

"No. But let's get it over with."

I locked up shop, took Tonks' hand, and we Disapparated.

We appeared in my room at Spinner's End. I quickly scanned the house with Legilimency and breathed a sigh of relief.

"He isn't here," I said.

"How do you know?" Tonks asked.

"Legilimency."

"Aha. I never could get the hang of that or Occlumency. So you could read my mind?"

"If I wanted to. I generally don't, but Severus and I have-…_had, _I guess- a special connection. We just sort of click…it's always easy for me to slip into his mind."

I was silent a moment, then shook my head and began to fill a bag with clothes. I looked at my bed for a moment- it looked almost as if someone had slept in it since I last made it. Then Tonks flopped down on my bed to wait while I packed.

I walked across the hall to Snape's room to gather anything I might have left in there, leaving Tonks on my bed, flipping through some books. I picked up most of my clothes off his floor. Then, on a strange impulse, I stole one of his black cloaks and shoved it in my bag quickly.

"What's up with this?" Tonks asked warily when I re-entered the room. She held my copy of _A Guide to the Dark Arts._

"Severus was training me…in case the Dark Lord ever asked for me. To give me an idea of what I'd be working with. …Dumbledore approved it," I explained quickly. "He taught me some good defensive spells as well."

"What happens if He asks for you now?" Tonks asked.

"No idea. I'll let Snape figure that one out. Come on, let's go- I've got everything I want, for now."

**Snape's POV**

I spent most of the day looking for Olivia. I checked the clinic in Diagon Alley, the Leaky Cauldron, Headquarters- even though we'd all been told to evacuate- but I couldn't find her anywhere. I'd even checked Hogwarts, which had led to Albus asking probing questions.

"We just argued, that's all, and now I can't find her. Are you sure you haven't heard anything?" I asked somewhat desperately.

"I'm afraid not…but I'll keep my ears open…and I'll ask around. Olivia knows things and should her knowledge fall into the wrong hands, it could be disastrous."

I didn't tell him that I was more worried about Olivia herself than the knowledge she held.

I thought about checking with Lupin…but that was a conversation I didn't want to have, especially if she _was _there.

I went home that night feeling worse than before. She obviously didn't want to be found. Either that or she was being held somewhere against her will…

_This is just great, _I thought miserably. _Now I'm just all the more worried about her. Better to keep her close than to not know where she is._

When I went upstairs to go to bed, I noticed the door to her room was ajar. I knew I had shut it before I left. Feeling slightly hopeful, I entered her room, only to be met with crushing disappointment. Most of her stuff was gone. Heart heavy, I sat down on her bed. At least I knew that she was okay…but that meant she was purposely hiding from me.

**Olivia's POV**

I'd been staying at Tonks' place for about a week. Each night I slept in her bed. We were a small comfort to each other during those times.

Whenever I was alone during the day, I wandered the streets of London. I avoided Diagon Alley and my clinic, anywhere I might run into Snape. I stuck to the Muggle side of London. I had been mulling something over in my head the past week and it wasn't entirely planned out when one day after a lunch alone in London, I entered a Muggle tattoo parlor.

I emerged about an hour later, limping slightly but grinning through my pain. When Tonks got home that evening, I peeled the bandage off my ankle and proudly showed her my tattoo.

"That's awesome! But you never really struck me as the flower type," she commented.

"It's not just a flower. It's a lily…a Belladonna lily, which is a form of deadly nightshade," I said with a grin.

"Aha. You know you could dab a bit of healing paste on that so it won't peel?"

"Nah. The pain is all part of the experience."

A few days later, I was home alone, watching TV, when there was a knock at the door. I leapt to my feet, thinking that Snape had somehow found me. My first instinct was to run and hide in the bedroom, preferably under the bed. On the off chance that it was not him, however, I grabbed my wand and peered through the peephole…into the smiling face of Albus Dumbledore.

"Hello Olivia. May I come in?" he asked pleasantly. I opened the door a crack.

"Er, well… It's not my house, you see-"

"I'm sure Tonks won't mind."

"-And how am I to know you are truly Albus Dumbledore?"

"I doubt any Death Eater would dare impersonate me, however, you may ask me a security question, just to be on the safe side."

I thought a moment.

"…What was my biological mother's name?" I asked him.

"Lynn Rahl," he answered. I opened the door and let him in.

I looked around rather sheepishly at the room as he sat on the couch.

"Sorry about the mess, sir. We've been…" but I was unsure of how to finish the sentence, so I let it hang.

"It's quite alright," he said with a slight chuckle. "…I wonder, Olivia, if you have spoken with Severus recently?"

"No, sir," I said somewhat stiffly.

"I thought not. He is quite worried about you. He cares for you an awful lot."

"He's got a funny way of showing it," I mumbled.

"Well he is, after all, Severus."

He had a point there. I said nothing.

"I know," he continued. "that I cannot force you to forgive him, whatever injustice it is he has done. But I think it would be better for the both of you. …If not, I offer you the use of a safe house. The Order has several of them available. I can't help but worry that someone may come after you. You possess knowledge of the Order and knowledge of Severus that, if in the wrong hands, could be fatal…"

I considered his words carefully and sighed.

"I will let you know what I decide," I said quietly.

"Excellent," he said, standing. "Also…you know he has been looking for you?"

"Yes sir."

He nodded.

"I trust you will choose the right path," he said and Disapparated with a pop.

When Dumbledore left, I sat back down and turned the TV on, though I wasn't really watching. I was pondering my decision, though I already knew what I was going to do.

I went down to the clinic to work. I had been there a little over an hour when the door opened and Snape walked in.

He looked surprised to see me standing behind the counter. I imagined he had been by several times looking for me.

"Olivia…" he breathed in disbelief.

I said nothing, merely continued my sweeping.

"Are you still mad at me?" he asked, cautiously approaching me.

"Well… I'm waiting on an apology," I said coolly.

"I'm sorry," he said immediately. "Of course I'm sorry. I love you. I miss you. I've spent every spare moment looking for you. I'm an idiot. I let love slip through my fingers once already and… I want you to come home."

I smiled in spite of myself.

"Well, when you put it that way…" I said. "Of course I will come home."

He laughed weakly and embraced me. He kissed my forehead, my nose, my mouth. He held onto my for the longest time, as if afraid I would disappear if he let me go.

"Let's go home," I murmured.

**Author's Note: **There, isn't it all well and good now? By the way, I actually have a Belladonna Lily tattoo on my left ankle, I got it for my 18th birthday and it's bitchin' awesome. Heehee. Don't forget to review, folks, and I'll be back soon with an update!

~LilReporterGirl


	52. After Hogwarts Year 1 Chapter 3

**Snape's POV**

That night I treated her like a goddess. I was so glad to have her home safe and in my bed. I kissed every inch of her body and stopped, surprised, when I reached her left ankle.

"Is that…a tattoo?" I inquired.

"A belladonna lily," she said with a devilish grin.

"Ah. Beautiful but deadly. …Where have you been these last few weeks?"

"If you're nice, maybe I will tell you," she said, still grinning.

Not long after her return home, Olivia officially opened her shop in Diagon Alley. She spent most of her time there, though she didn't get much business. She began to take in strays off the street, treating them for fleas and ticks, getting them healthy, then trying to find them homes.

One evening when Olivia was still at work, I was summoned to Malfoy Manor. Bellatrix had been injured on some mission- she had a deep gash on her shoulder.

"The Dark Lord said you have contacts who are Healers," Narcissa said to me. "You helped Dolohov last month-"

"I don't need _his _help, Cissy!" Bellatrix hissed.

"Let it go, Bella. This injury is beyond me and he can help."

I waited patiently while the sisters argued it out. In the end, Bellatrix agreed to go with me. I grabbed her arm and we Disapparated.

We appeared in Diagon Alley, behind Olivia's clinic. Bellatrix wrenched her arm away from me, huffing. I rolled my eyes and knocked on the back door. I could hear music playing inside.

"That you, Severus?" she called and opened the door. Her green eyes got wide when she saw I wasn't alone. With a wave of her wand, she turned off the radio.

"Come in, come in," she urged.

The backroom was mostly storage- boxes and cabinets of stuff. She sat Bellatrix down at a small table to inspect her wound. Immediately two cats jumped up on the table, meowing for attention. Bellatrix hissed at them and they jumped back down. Immediately, another cat began to twist itself around her feet.

"Ugh, what _is _this place?" Bellatrix said, kicking at the cat.

"Stop that," Olivia said, scowling. "This is an animal clinic."

"Ridiculous," scoffed Bellatrix.

"I'm going to need you to remove your shirt so I can see the full extend of your wound," Olivia said. "Severus, why don't you take the cats up front and wait?"

I inclined my head, called to the cats, and went up front.

**Olivia's POV**

Bellatrix let out little hisses the entire time I tended to her wound.

"There's no chance of a toxin or poison being in the wound, is there?" I asked her, after she refused to tell me what had caused the injury.

She shook her head no.

"…Who are you, anyway?" she sniffed. "Not one of us?"

"Not exactly, no. I'm Severus' cousin. He's been training me…on the Dark Lord's orders."

"Cousin, eh? Sure you're nota bit more than that?" she asked with a malicious grin.

"Don't be ridiculous," I snorted.

"So you're going to be one of us, then? Think you've got what it takes?"

"Of course I do. I'm a Slytherin. Pureblood. …My mother was killed because of something a Muggle did."

"You don't look like much."

"I'm stronger than I look. I almost killed Lucius Malfoy in a duel."

"If you ask me, it doesn't take much to beat my sister's husband."

"Oh, so you're Narcissa's sister?" I asked. She ignored the question.

"You've got a bit of a soft spot for animals, haven't you?" she said tauntingly.

"I like animals," I said stiffly. "I don't like people."

"And yet, they tell me you're a Healer?"

"I'm a veterinarian. I invent potions for animals. I did an Internship and St. Mungo's and that gave me experience in the Healing department, though it was hardly my idea…"

"Hmph."

"There, you're finished," I said. Her wound was healed, leaving only a faint pink scar.

When she had her shirt back on, I called Snape back into the room.

"Good as new, Bella?" he asked with a slight sneer.

"Mm. I'll be seeing you," she said, looking at me. Then, without so much as a thank you, she Disapparated.

I sat in her vacated chair. The cats had followed Snape back into the room. A young tabby female jumped into my lap.

"Are you alright?" Snape asked me.

"Fine," I said with a shrug.

"Charming woman, isn't she?" he asked sardonically, smiling a little.

"I get the impression she doesn't like you."

"She doubts my loyalties," he replied.

"Well," I said. "Maybe she is smarter than she looks."

It was a few days later that I was at work, tending to a stray tom cat whose leg had been caught in a rat trap, when Snape came into the clinic.

"We must go," he said upon entering the shop.

"Where?" I asked absently as I finished bandaging the cat's leg.

"The Dark Lord,' he said and I looked up to see he was pale-faced. "He has asked to see you."

"Shit," I said, releasing the cat's paw.

"Yeah. Let's go, it's best not to keep Him waiting."

"I need to change," I said, looking down at my torn jeans and Muggle t-shirt.

"Right. Yes. Home, then, come," he said.

I waved my wand quickly, locking the doors to the shop, then took Snape's arm.

We Apparated directly into my room at Spinner's End and I began to undress. Snape went through my wardrobe and found the silky black dress I had worn to the Yule Ball. I had grown a little since then, but a quick charm made the robes expand to fit me.

"Excellent," Snape said, helping me get dressed.

He grabbed my brush from the nightstand while I straightened my dress. He brushed my hair, then looked me over and kissed my forehead.

"You look beautiful. We must go. Are you prepared?" he asked.

I nodded, unable to speak.

"We could…we don't have to… We could flee," he said softly.

"No. No, we must," I said to him. "…I can do it."

He embraced me, kissing me again.

"My brave, brave beautiful girl," he murmured. "I love you so. …Let us go."

He stepped away from me, but took my hand and held it tightly.

"To Malfoy Manor," he said to me. I nodded and together we Disapparated.

We appeared outside of the gates through which I passed, still holding Snape's hand tightly. My heart was pounding madly as we walked to the front door and Snape knocked.

The door was opened a moment later, though this time not by Narcissa Malfoy. It was opened by a greasy-haired sniveling little man with a strange silver hand.

"Ah, Severus," said the man. "…And who is this?"

The man was looking at me now. He licked his lips, his beady eyes moving over my body and he lifted his silvery hand as if to touch me.

"Leave her alone, Wormtail. Step aside!"

The man scurried away at Snape's words and Snape led me inside.

We entered the drawing room where thirteen or so other people were seated at a long table. At the head of the table, in all of his terrible greatness, sat the Dark Lord. A large snake lay coiled by his feet- Nagini, the python whose venom I carried an antidote for around my neck.

To the right of the Dark Lord sat Bellatrix, who smirked at me. Beside her sat Narcissa, then Draco, who was studying me curiously. I recognized a few of the others as Death Eaters I had healed before.

"Welcome, Olivia," said the Dark Lord and I focused my attention on him. "We meet at last. You have already become acquainted with many of my followers. You have rendered us a great service these past few months. It seems only fitting that you should become one of us."

Several of the Death Eaters hissed their approval.

"And yet… Severus also tells me that Dumbledore has recruited you for the Order. You have done work for them in the past. How am I to know where your loyalties truly lie?"

"You know who raised me, sir," I said, without looking at Snape. "Who has trained me, behind Dumbledore's back. The things I do for the Order, I do because Dumbledore trusts Severus…and so he thinks he can trust me. But he is mistaken. …I will do whatever you ask of me, my Lord."

"Indeed? I think, perhaps, I will speak with you alone, Olivia."

He looked around the table and they all stood to leave, one by one. Snape looked at me. His face betrayed no emotion, but his eyes told me to be strong.

"Shut the door behind them, Olivia," the Dark Lord said.

I obeyed. My heart still pounding like mad, I closed the door behind Snape and turend to face the Dark Lord.

**Snape's POV**

We waited outside in Lucius' study while the Dark Lord talked to Olivia. I was on pins and needles, but tried not to show it. The others were asking me about Olivia, about her history. I told them she was a typical Slytherin, brilliant at everything. I told them about Ellen's death and Olivia coming to stay with me. I exaggerated her hatred of Muggles. I told them about her exemplary Potions skills and how she had comet to be my apprentice her second year.

"So, you're spending a lot of time with her, eh, Severus? Pretty little thing like that?" Nott said, grinning.

I knew his implications and didn't honor him with a response, though I felt a very strong urge to hex him.

"So she's free, then? Wouldn't mind going on an assignment with her, if you know what I mean," he continued.

That was more than I could stand. With one swift movement, I pinned him to the wall my wand at his throat. The others cackled- they loved a good fight, no matter who it was.

"She is _not _free, understand?" I growled. "And if you touch her-…I will curse you to the point you'll never have the _hope _of fathering children."

The door to the drawing room opened and the Dark Lord called us back inside. I released Nott and he slumped to the floor. He scrambled to his feet as I walked back into the drawing room. Olivia sat to the left of the Dark Lord. Nagini was on the table and Olivia was stroking the snake's scaly head, something no Death Eater dared do. The Dark Lord appeared pleased. He motioned for me to sit to His right, across from Olivia. She smiled at me quickly, just enough to reassure me that she was okay.

The Dark Lord did not speak until everyone was seated.

"I have given young Olivia an assignment. One she must complete on her own, without assistance from anyone, even you, Severus. Understand?"

"Of course, my lord," I said.

"Now, all that remains…is for Olivia to be branded as one of us," He said and stood. The rest of us took our cue from Him and stood as well. We moved to form a circle around Olivia and Him. The Dark Lord appraised her silently a moment, then turned to look at me.

"Severus…will you do the honors?" He said.

"my…my lord?" I stammered. He motioned me into the center of the circle.

"You do it, Severus," He said and stepped back so that he became a part of the circle.

Olivia and I stood there, facing each other.

"Your arm," I said quietly, pulling out my wand.

She extended her left arm, palm up. She looked up at me, her emerald eyes trusting. I wanted to tell her I was sorry, but couldn't. I tried to convey the message with my eyes, to warn her. Then I looked away from her face and pressed the tip of my wand to the thin, pale skin of her forearm. I cleared my throat and whispered the spell. She let out a shriek that tore my heart into shreds. I grit my teeth and forced myself to continue as all around us, Death Eaters shrieked and cackled and the Dark Lord stood there looking utterly satisfied.


	53. After Hogwarts Year 1 Chapter 4

**Olivia's POV**

My arm was throbbing in pain when the Dark Lord told us we could go. He said something else to Snape, but I couldn't listen. Once we were outside of Malfoy Manor, Snape put his arms around me and we Disapparated.

When we Apparated into our sitting room, he began to kiss me.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm _so _sorry," he said, sitting me down on the couch.

"It's okay," I said through gritted teeth. "I know it's not your fault. …I'd rather it be you than Him."

"I can't believe it's happened. I never wanted… What did he say to you? What is it he's asked you to do?"

"He just asked me things… asked what I was good at, what I liked to do. He asked what all you'd taught me. I told him. I told him about my duel with Lucius that time. He asked about Ellen, how she died. I played it up a bit, told him I hated Muggles and all that."

"What's the assignment?" he asked.

"He wants me to brew a Nightshade Poison. No big deal."

"He didn't allude to what he might use it for?"

"No."

"…We need to go see Dumbledore. He needs to know this has happened."

"Can't it wait a moment? I'd like to put some Dittany on this," I said of my throbbing forearm.

"Dittany won't work. Nothing will work, trust me. The only thing you can do is bind it to keep it from bleeding- its still going to hurt like hell. Going to see Albus will help distract you."

We went into the kitchen where Snape carefully wrapped my left forearm, covering the accursed mark. When he finished bandaging my arm, he kissed the palm of my hand.

"I'm so sorry," he said again.

"It's not your fault," I told him.

"It is. …I wanted a better life for you than this."

"I like my life just fine- as long as you're in it," I replied and kissed him.

He smiled slightly and kissed me back.

"Come on," he said. "Let's go see Dumbledore."

The headmaster was not in his office when we arrived. Snape insisted we wait in his office for his return. We entered the headmaster's office. Snape sat to wait, but I stopped to stroke Fawkes the Phoenix and look at the curious objects in Dumbledore's office.

"What are you doing?" Snape asked me.

"Keeping my mind off my injured arm," I replied innocently.

It was nearly 15 minutes before Dumbledore returned, Apparating into his office. He didn't look surprised to see us, but he did look tired.

I let Snape tell him about what happened, from the mission I was given to his being forced to burn the Mark into my arm. Dumbledore didn't say much, only asked to see the Mark. I unwrapped my wrist to show him the still-bleeding, throbbing Mark. He frowned, saying nothing. I tried to re-wrap the wound but couldn't do it with one hand. Snape moved over and tenderly re-wrapped my wound.

"Are you okay, Albus?" Snape asked as he sat back down. "You seem a little distracted."

"I'm…fine. I just have a lot on my mind. Olivia- I am sorry this has happened to you, but you seem to be handling it well. You can handle this, right?"

"Oh- of course, sir," I said.

"Excellent. Just keep me up to date on anything that happens. Severus- could I ask a favor of you?"

"Perhaps," he said uneasily. "…What is it?"

"I want you to stay here tomorrow night. I'd like for you to be on hand… I'm going to try something that has the potential to go wrong and… I need you here."

"Of course I'll be here."

"Good," Dumbledore said, pleased. "Olivia, you may stay here, too, if you like-"

"Unnecessary," I said quickly, sensing Snape's discomfort. "I can certainly take care of myself."

It was late when we got back to the house- or early morning, technically. We Apparated directly into the bedroom. I kicked off my shoes and crawled into bed.

"What do you think Dumbledore has planned for tomorrow night?" I asked, snuggling up to Snape.

"You never know, with Albus. …How is your arm?" he asked.

"It's okay," I replied. The bleeding had stopped and I'd removed the bandage. It looked, for all intents and purposes, like a fresh tattoo, but every now and again it would throb like hell fire.

"I still feel bad about it," he said with a sigh, kissing my forehead.

"Well…I could think of a few ways you could make it up to me… if you're not too tired," I said with a coy smile.

"I do love you in the dress," he said and kissed me. "But I love you even more _out _of the dress."

**Snape's POV**

Olivia started work on the poison for the Dark Lord the next day. I sat in the corner and watched as she worked on the potion. She refused to let me offer any assistance, insisting that she could handle it herself.

When it started to get late, I headed to Hogwarts. Olivia remained at the house to work on the potion. Dumbledore was already gone when I got there, so I went down to my office to work on schedules.

It was about 1 a.m. when his Phoenix Patronus appeared in my room. It didn't speak and was gone in a flash. I had a very bad feeling. I rushed to get dressed and practically flew up the stairs to his office.

Albus was unconscious when I arrived, slumped sideways in his chair. The sword of Gryffindor and a ring with a cracked stone lay upon his desk. His hand was blackened- it was obvious he had been cursed.

I set to work immediately, performing counter curses on his hand. I summoned a restorative potion from my office and poured it down his throat. Finally, I had contained the curse…but it was a deadly one and it wouldn't be contained for long.

Dumbledore opened his eyes.

"Why- _why _did you put on that ring? It carries a curse, surely you realized that? Why even touch it?" I demanded.

He grimaced.

"I…was a fool. Sorely tempted…"

"Tempted by what?" I demanded.

He did not respond. His secrecy, his lack of cooperation, his lack of trust in me infuriated me.

"It is a miracle you managed to return here! That ring carried a curse of extraordinary power, to contain it is all we can hope for; I have trapped the curse in one hand, for the time being-"

I stopped as he lifted his hand to examine it, seeming interested in it for the first time.

"You have done very well, Severus. How long do you think I have?" he asked conversationally. I hesitated, not wanting to put a time to it.

"I cannot tell," I said quietly. "Maybe a year. There is no halting such a spell forever. It will spread, eventually, it is the sort of curse that strengthens over time."

Albus smiled, seemingly unperturbed. I stared at him.

"I am fortunate, extremely fortunate, that I have you, Severus."

"If you had only summoned me a little earlier, I might have been able to do more, buy you more time!" I exclaimed, still furious.

I looked down at the ring, wondering what sort of power it contained that even Albus would be tempted.

"Did you think that breaking the ring would break the curse?" I asked.

"Something like that… I was delirious, no doubt," said Albus and with an effort he sat up in his chair. "Well, really, this makes matters much more straightforward."

I stared at him, not understanding, and he smiled again.

"I refer to the plan Lord Voldemort is revolving around me. His plan to have the poor Malfoy boy murder me."

I sat down across from him. I couldn't believe he was taking that seriously, when the more pressing matter of his cursed hand needed to be discussed. He held up his blackened hand in a refusal to discuss the subject.

"The Dark Lord does not expect Draco to succeed," I said with a scowl. "This is merely punishment for Lucius' recent failures. Slow torture for Draco's parents, while they watch him fail and pay the price."

"In short, the boy has a death sentence pronounced upon him as surely as I have," he said. "No, I should have thought the natural successor to the job, once Draco fails, is yourself?"

"…That, I think, is the Dark Lord's plan."

"Lord Voldemort forsees a moment in the near future when he will not need a spy at Hogwarts?"

"He believes the school will soon be in his grasp, yes."

"And if it does fall into his grasp, I have your word that you will do all in your power to protect the students of Hogwarts?"

I nodded curtly.

"Good. Now then. Your first priority will be to discover what Draco is up to. A frightened teenage boy is a danger to others as well as himself Offer him help and guidance, he ought to accept, he likes you-"

"-much less, since his father has lost favor. Draco blames me, he thinks I have usurped Lucius' position."

"All the same, try. I am concerned less for myself than for accidental victims of whatever schemes might occur to the boy. Ultimately, there is only one thing to be done if we are to save him from Lord Voldemort's wrath."

I raised my eyebrows.

"Are you intending to let him kill you?" I asked sardonically.

"Certainly not. _You _must kill me."

There was a long silence in which I studied him, trying to discern if he were joking or not.

"Would you like me to do it now? Or would you like a few moments to compose an epitaph?" I asked, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Oh not quite yet," he said, smiling at my sarcasm. "I daresay the moment will present itself in due course. Given what has happened tonight," he said, indicating his blackened hand. "we can be sure that it will happen within a year."

"If you don't mind dying, why not let Draco do it?" I asked roughtly, trying to keep the emotion out of my voice.

"That boy's soul is not yet so damaged. I would not have it ripped apart on my account."

"And my soul, Dumbledore? Mine?"

"You alone know whether it will harm your soul to help an old man avoid pain and humiliation. I ask this one great favor of you, Severus, because death is coming for me as surely as the Chudley Cannons will finish bottom of this year's league. I confess I should prefer a quick, painless exit to the protracted and messy affair it will be if, for instance, Greyback is involved- I hear Voldemort has recruited him? Or clever Bellatrix, who likes to play with her food before she eats it."

His tone was light, but his blue eyes pierced me in a way so I knew I could not refuse. Finally, I nodded. He seemed satisfied.

"Thank you, Severus…"

"I can't tell anyone, can I?" I asked after a moment.

He shook his head no.

"What about Olivia? I tell her everything, I can't keep this from her. She will despise me," I said, immediately wishing I hadn't told him that I tell her everything.

He considered my words a moment, smiling a little.

"Yes, I think that will be okay. …You know, I am glad you have Olivia, Severus. She is good for you."

"I don't know what you mean," I said stiffly.

"Of course," he said, still smiling.

I scowled and waited a moment.

"I don't know how I'm going to tell her… What words to use… How do you tell someone something like that?"

"I find a direct approach to be best," Albus said with a shrug.

"Obviously," I snorted.

**Olivia's POV'**

I was asleep when Snape came crawling into my bed around 4 a.m.

"I didn't think you were coming home tonight," I murmured sleepily as he kissed my bare shoulder.

"I didn't plan on it but now I don't think I could sleep," he replied quietly.

"What's wrong? What happened?" I asked, forcing myself to sit up and stay awake.

"I was going to wait until morning to tell you, but…"

Sitting there on my bed in the dark, Snape told me about the lethal curse in Dumbledore's hand and about Dumbledore's plan to let Snape kill him to save Draco. I had known about Draco's secret assignment, though I hadn't taken it seriously. Draco was spineless and weak…not like his father.

"I can't believe he tricked me into agreeing to this. There is no way I can do this… kill my only friend in this world, besides you," Snape said mournfully. "And what will we do without Albus? Without his guidance?"

"What would become of Hogwarts?" I asked.

"It would fall into the Dark Lord's hands. …I gave my word I would do everything I can to protect the students."

"What would that entail?"

"Convincing the Dark Lord to allow Minerva as Headmistress…or, which is far more likely, take over myself," he responded. "…but I can't do it. I can't kill him. I can't do it. I can't kill him. I can't be responsible for the Death of Albus Dumbledore."

I wasn't sure what to say, how to comfort him on the subject.

"He's going to die anyway," I said.

He looked at me and I looked away.

"…Besides, it's what he wants," I finished.

"For me to _murder_ him? That's not normal! He's barking mad. Maybe it's time everyone stops giving him everything he wants," he snorted.

"Everyone does tend to kiss his butt," I said, "Metaphorically speaking."

We were silent for a long period of time.

"Let's not worry about it. Maybe it won't be necessary. Maybe Draco will get lucky," I said, laying back down. He lay down as well and I snuggled up to him.

"Maybe so," he said, though he sounded doubtful.

When I finished the Nightshade Potion a few days later, Snape went with me to deliver it to the Dark Lord.

"Well done, my child," He said upon inspecting the potion. "Very well done. And you received no help from anyone?"

"No, my Lord," I responded.

"Very good. I have a gift for you and Severus."

"My Lord?" Snape asked.

"It seems that Wormtail is in need of something to do. I give him to you, to assist you, until you return to Hogwarts."

"That is…most generous, my Lord," Snape said with a slight wince. "But are you sure you have no need of him here?"

"No, he will go with you," He responded decisively. "I will send him along this evening, to give you some time to prepare for him."

"Of course, my Lord. Thank you," Snape said and glanced at me.

"Thank you, my Lord," I added quickly.

**Snape's POV**

When we Apparated back to Spinner's End, I vented my frustration by kicking over a table. My childhood enemy- one of them, anyway- coming to live with us? Stupid, cowardly, _disgusting _Wormtail! The man responsible for selling Lily Evans to the Dark Lord, in my own house? I kicked the upended table again and one of the legs came off.

Olivia touched my arm gently and with a quick wave of her wand, fixed the table.

"Don't fret, love- we can make him _miserable_. This won't be so bad, you'll see."

"Yeah. Where is he going to sleep?"

"I could clear out my room. I sleep in your room most nights anyway," she suggested.

"No," I said adamantly. "That is _your _space. …We can put him in the attic. Let's go clear out some things," I said, motioning for her to follow me upstairs.

The attic was filled with boxes of old stuff. Most of it was just junk but that didn't mean I wanted Wormtail poking through it. Olivia found my father's old record player.

"Alright if I play some music while we clean?" she asked, undoubtedly remembering the last time she had touched the record player.

"Go for it," I said with a shrug.

She browsed through the box of old records next to the record player. A minute later, Lynyrd Skynard started playing. I rolled my eyes, but couldn't help humming along as we moved boxes out of the attic. We put most of them in the closet in her room and in my closet. We stored the last few in the potion-brewing room.

Up in the attic, I summoned a cot for Wormtail to sleep on. Olivia messed with the record player and a slow song I didn't know started playing.

"You know what would be hot?" she murmured, coming up behind me.

"What?"

"If we made love in his bed before he gets here."

I turned to face her.

"You're so bad," I said, smirking.

"You know you love it," she retorted.

"I love _something_," I said, kissing her hungrily and slipping my hands under her shirt.

When we went back downstairs a while later, Olivia took the record player and box of records to her room. We added extra protection to both our bedroom doors, then went downstairs to wait on Wormtail. We sat next to each other on the couch. We were quiet for a minute.

"So, what does this mean for us? Do we have to be careful around Wormtail?" she asked finally.

"…No. I don't care what Wormtail knows. He's too much of a coward to say anything. …You know, you're not a student anymore."

"I know, I've been thinking about that," she said mournfully.

"About…what, exactly?"

"Well, I won't be at Hogwarts anymore… and you will be," she said. "We won't see each other as much."

"Oh," I said.

I had thought about this as well, of course…or tried not to think about it. There was a tentative plan in the back of my mind that involved Floo'ing back home every night from my office.

"What did you mean?" she asked me.

"Only that…well, with your no longer being a student…our relationship is no longer inappropriate…or at least, not as much as it was," I said. "There is still the age thing."

"It's not as if we're the only ones… At least I'm not like those American teenagers who marry older guys for money," she replied.

I was silent a moment, thinking about what she said. What if we did get married? Would you even want to marry me? Did I want to marry her? Well that was a stupid question. Of course I did, I loved her. But the timing wasn't right…if she even wanted to marry me at all.

I realized I had been silent for a long time. I cleared my throat and said the first thing that popped into my head.

"Dumbledore still wouldn't approve," I said.

"How do you know? He's all about 'the power of love'," she said with a smirk. "…Hippie."

I chuckled slightly. At that moment there was a knock at the door. I sighed and stood up to go let Wormtail in.

"Maybe if you don't answer, he'll go away," Olivia suggested. I smiled at her.

"We could only be so lucky," I said.

**Olivia's POV**

I decided immediately that I did not like Wormtail. I'd met him before, of course, but I liked him even less now. I didn't like how he hungrily looked me over, even wile Snape was talking to him.

"You are not permitted to be in any room of this house but your room, the bathroom, and the kitchen. All other doors are locked and heavily guarded. Attempting to enter them would be…quite foolish, on your part."

At this point Snape noticed Wormtail's gaze. He walked over to me and put his arm possessively around me. Wormtail's eyes widened, but he said nothing.

"You are not to steal any of our belongings," Snape continued. "You are not to bother Olivia. And your door will be locked at eleven every night."

I followed Snape upstairs as he showed Wormtail how to open the passages behind the bookcases, then showed him to his room.

Snape and I went back downstairs and talked for a while. After a few minutes, I glanced upwards.

"I wonder what he's doing up there," I mused.

"There's no telling," he replied, rolling his eyes. "Probably something disgusting."

At eleven o'clock that evening, Snape knocked on Wormtail's door and told him he was locking him in for the night.

"But what if I have to go to the bathroom?" Wormtail whined.

"You can figure that out yourself," Snape sneered.

With that he shut the door and sealed it.

"What if he _does _have to use the bathroom, Severus?" I asked.

"I don't want him wandering about the house at night. Besides…he can transform into a rat."

I chuckled and followed Snape into the bedroom.

The Dark Lord didn't call on me to do anything else after brewing the poison so I started spending my days working at the clinic. I tried not to be home much during the day because Wormtail creeped me out. More than once I'd caught him lingering outside of the bathroom door after I bathed.

One day when I came home from work, Snape and I came home from work, Snape and I hopped in the shower together to have some fun. When we finished, he toweled me off and we got dressed. When Snape opened the door, he found Wormtail trying to peep through the key hole.

There was a loud crack and Wormtail was blasted off his feet. Snape grabbed the sniveling man by the back of his shirt and dragged him up the stairs into the attic. Snape tossed Wormtail into his room, then glanced back at me.

"This will only take a second," he said and shut the door.

There were several dull thuds, some loud shouting and what sounded like Wormtail crying. Snape came out a few minutes later, scowling but looking satisfied.

"He's leaving. Tomorrow," he said, seething.

"It's okay, Severus. Really," I said.

"…We need to talk. Come," he said.

I followed him into the bedroom. He sat on the edge of the bed and I shut the door.

"Narcissa and Bellatrix came by here today," he said.

"Oh Bella came by, did she?" I said, teasing him lightly. I'd been poking fun at him ever since I realized how much Bellatrix's attitude towards him actually got under his skin. I constantly teased him that she secretly had a crush on him.

"This is serious, Olivia," he said.

"Sorry, I was only teasing," I said, sitting behind him on the bed to rub his shoulders. "What did they want?"

"Narcissa wants me to help look out for Draco this year while he works on his assignment."

"Oh, is that all?"

"No. I…I…made the Unbreakable Vow," he said quietly.

"You did what?" I said, uncertain if I'd heard him correctly.

"I made the Unbreakable Vow," he repeated.

"Why? Why would you do that?" I demanded, ceasing to rub his shoulders.

"Because…Bella goaded me into it. …I didn't see any way out."

"What _exactly _did you promise?" I asked.

"To protect Draco, to help him…and to complete the job, should he fail," he finished with a sigh. I sat back on my heels, shocked.

"I already promised Albus I would do it," he said, turning to look at me.

"Yeah…but now if you can't go through with it…you'll die."

"…There's nothing I can do. I can't run. I've got to do it…or die."

We were both quiet, then I hugged him, burying my face in his chest so I wouldn't cry.

"I really don't want you to die," I murmured.

"Don't worry," he said, stroking my hair. "I'm not going to die."

**Snape's POV**

The next morning when Olivia left for work, I went to Malfoy Manor. I told the Dark Lord I was heading back to Hogwarts a few days early and I didn't trust Wormtail alone with Olivia.

"As you wish, Severus," he said and he summoned Wormtail back. I thought to myself that it seemed a little too easy, but merely thanked him and left.

I went to see Albus after that. I told him about the Unbreakable Vow…and about the problem with Wormtail. I told him that Wormtail had been spying on Olivia in the shower…not that he'd been spying on _us _in the shower. Albus was silent, taking it all in.

"…Have you thought about what will happen to Olivia when you return to school?" he asked.

"Of course. …She has her clinic now, so she'll be working. She can stay at the house, of course."

"Alone?"

"It's not as if I don't trust her to be alone."

"One would think you would be concerned for her being alone…for her safety."

I felt myself go pale. Wormtail knew where I lived. Several people knew where I lived. And they knew Olivia would be home alone when I left Hogwarts.

"…What do you suggest I do?" I asked weakly. He smiled.

"I was going to offer her a place to stay…here. At Hogwarts. She could have her own room, down in the dungeons. There are plenty of empty classrooms down there that could be converted into a room for her. You can ask her about it when you get home, see what she thinks."

I nodded slowly.

"…Do you have another reason for doing this? Something you're not telling me?"

"I just want her to be safe, Severus…and if it comes down to it, she can remain here after I am dead and you are forced to flee. She can continue working with the Order, be your connection. Continue her role as a spy."

"Nonsense. They won't trust her without you around. They know how close she and I are," I said.

He raised an eyebrow at me and smiled.

"They will trust her, if she plays her part well. She has made friends within the Order. They were all quicker to trust her than they were you."

"…I will tell her," I said, resigned.

"Excellent. Also, I would like for her to ride the train on September 1st, as a member of the Order. She and Tonks will be on board."

"Right. …Have you had any luck finding a new Defense teacher?" I asked, smirking slightly.

"Unfortunately, no. However, I do have a plan."

"Oh?"

"Yes. If he will consent to return, I will employ Professor Slughorn."

"But…he has never taught Defense," I said, scowling.

"And he won't be teaching Defense now."

I stopped scowling, not daring to hope.

"What are you trying to tell me, Albus?"

"I want _you _to teach Defense this year, Severus. I think I owe it to you."

I was speechless. I almost wanted to hug him- but I could wait until I could home and hug Olivia (among other things).

"As you wish, headmaster," I said, but inside I was smiling.

**Olivia's POV**

Snape was waiting for me in the sitting room when I returned home from work. He stood when I Apparated and he was smiling.

"What are you so happy about?" I asked as he pulled me to him and kissed me.

"I'm always happy to see you," he said.

"Yeah, but not _that _happy. What's up?" I asked, smiling at whatever could make him smile.

"Albus is going to let me teach Defense this year," he said, black eyes gleaming.

"Really? That's excellent! …But I don't get to be there," I said sadly.

"And I have more good news- You get to stay at Hogwarts! Albus suggested it, for your own safety. We get to change one of the unused classrooms into a private room for you."

This time I kissed him excitedly. He held me to him, his hands on my waist. I could tell he was excited, too, but in a different way now. I grinned against his mouth and bit his lip playfully. He looked down at me and smiled. He kissed me again, lifted me by my waist and pushed me against the bookcase. He unsnapped my jeans and pulled them down around my knees.

"Wait, where's Wormtail?" I groaned.

"Gone. Like I promised," he said, pulling my jeans the rest of the way off and tossing them aside. "Put your arms around my neck and hold on."

I did as told. He held me steady against the bookcase with one hand and guided his cock into my warm, wet opening with the other.

"Fuuuck," I moaned as he entered me and pushed as deep as he could.

It was hard and quick and amazing. My legs couldn't support me afterwards so Snape carried me over to the couch. He sat down and I laid my head in his lap. I smiled up at him. He smiled back and brushed a strand of hair out of my face.

"…So who is going to be Potions Master?" I asked curiously.

"This ancient guy, Horace Slughorn. He was Professor when I was in school…he was also Professor when the Dark Lord was in school, which I think, is why Albus wants him back. They were close. Slughorn was head of Slytherin House."

"Yipes…a young Dark Lord," I said, shuddering slightly. "What's he like? Slughorn, I mean?"

"Oh he is nice enough. Has a bit of a flair for famous people- he'll probably have a heart attack when he meets Potter," he said sardonically. I laughed.

"Albus wants you and Tonks to ride the train and patrol on September first, for protection," he continued.

"Cool. When do I get to design my room at Hogwarts?"

"Well, I've got something to do tomorrow…but we can go Monday. No one else is around, it's still too early in the Summer."

**Snape's POV**

Monday came quickly and Olivia and I got up early. We ate a quick breakfast, then Disapparated to Hogwarts. When we appeared outside of the gates, I used my wand to unseal the gates.

"The gates are more heavily-protected now than they were before," she observed.

"Yes, Albus is worried. There will be a lot of extra-protection this year, now that we've got the Ministry and the Aurors back on our side."

"Why isn't there anyone here now? No Aurors?"

"Because there aren't any students here now."

"Yes, but it isn't students the Dark Lord is after, it's Dumbledore."

"He _is _after students…but He knows that as long as Dumbledore is alive, he can't get to them."

"But when Dumbledore dies…"

"I will convince the Dark Lord to allow me to become headmaster. I will do the best I can to protect the students. I gave my word."

"Hm…Headmaster Snape, huh? Sounds like that could be fun," she said, smiling.

We continued up the path to Hogwarts. I glanced around to make sure no one was around, then decided now was as good a time as any to tell her.

"When it comes down to it…I may have to flee Hogwarts. If I kill him and someone finds out. You will have to stay behind. Pretend you knew nothing of my plan. Act devastated, heart-broken. Convince them to let you remain in the Order, even remain a spy if you can. We need someone on the inside. Do you understand how important this is?" I asked her.

She nodded solemnly, green eyes wide. I took her hand in mine, squeezed it tightly, then kissed it.

"Hello Severus," said a voice. We looked up to see Albus standing at the foot of the stairs, watching us and smiling. I quickly released Olivia's hand.

"Headmaster," I said uneasily. "We were just coming to fix up Olivia's room in the dungeons."

"Of course- how are you, Olivia?" he asked.

"Good, sir. And thank you so much for letting me stay here," she said.

"Of course, my dear. It is the safest thing for everyone. Severus, if you don't mind, I've got a little job for you once you show Olivia to her new room."

"…Sure. No problem. I'll meet you in your office in a few minutes," I said.

He nodded to us, still smiling, then walked away.

"He definitely saw that, didn't he?" Olivia asked breathlessly once we were safely in the dungeons.

"I'm not sure…but if he asks, I will deny it. I don't want him to know. He…he would hold it over me."

We found our way to an unused classroom not far from my office. I stayed a few minutes and watched as she began transfiguring what was already there to what she wanted- desks into a bed, chifforobe, and whatnot.

"You can go," she told me. "I can handle this."

"If you're sure…"

She stood on her tiptoes and kissed me.

"I'll be back soon," I promised her.


	54. After Hogwarts Year 1 Chapter 5

**Olivia's POV**

I spent the next hour or so designing my room the way I wanted it. I considered doing a green and silver theme, but, since I was no longer a student, it might've been a bit biased to do Slytherin colors. Instead I chose purple and silver. I made a large, king-size feather bed, with satin purple sheets and a black comforter, draped with purple and silver. A black wood chifforobe with a full-length mirror on the door with a skeleton key to keep my things locked up. A writing desk, made out of the same black wood, with drawers that locked.

When I was satisfied, I lay back on my bed, wand in hand, staring up at the plain ceiling. After a few tries, I charmed the ceiling so that the night sky and stars twinkled down at me. Unlike the ceiling of the Great Hall, it would not change as the weather changed, but would remain the night sky. Pleased with myself, I attempted to create the Aurora Borealis, but for some reason couldn't get it quite right. I ended up producing a slew of bubbles with the colors of the aurora.

I became aware, suddenly, of the feeling of someone watching me. I glanced up to see Snape standing in the doorway, looking faintly amused.

"What are you doing?" he asked, shutting the door and coming to sit on the edge of my bed.

"Trying to recreate the Aurora Borealis," I said with a shrug. He frowned a moment, looking up at the sky on the ceiling. He pulled out his own wand, concentrated a moment, then waved it wistfully. The lights erupted from the tip of his wand and took their place in the night sky.

"Brilliant," I said, looking up in awe. "…What did Dumbledore want?"

"He's leaving for the evening again and wants me to stay here."

"So…it's just us here?" I asked with a sly smile.

"Us and the others who live in the castle- Trelawney and Filch."

"Well they hardly count. Why don't we go to your office?"

"What's on your mind, little girl?"

"Take a wild guess," I said, grinning. "For once, Dumbledore isn't here and we practically have the entire castle to ourselves."

"Aha," he said, his black eyes glinting. He took my hand and pulled me to my feet. He kissed me eagerly, then led me down the hall to his office.

When we reached his office, he shut the door. He barely had time to put all of his enchantments in place before I was kissing him. I pinned him against the door and began to unfasten the buttons of his shirt. I had dreamed of this so many times, being together in his office…in the Potions classroom…

"Well, I'm not sure we can do it in the Potions classroom," Snape said with a smirk, breaking my kiss. "Considering it's no longer _my _classroom."

"You are way too comfortable in my head," I said and resumed kissing him. He tolerated my being in control, but not for long. He soon scooped me up and I let out a squeal as he deposited me on top of his desk. While he busied himself ridding me of my pants, I reached out with one hand and swiped all of the papers off his desk and onto the floor.

"Those were in order…You're going to pay for that, little girl," he said with a growl. I let out another delighted squeal as he rid me of my jeans and tossed them aside. With one swift movement he parted my legs and pushed inside of me. I was already soaking wet.

"Well aren't we the eager one?" he teased as I wrapped my legs around him.

"You always did have that effect on me," I replied with a sly smile.

I groaned and leaned back on my elbows as he began to move inside of me. I thought it would be quick, but I was wrong. Every time I got close, he would stop and pull almost all the way out- punishment, I'm sure for knocking his papers to the floor. After an agonizing 45 minutes, I was practically begging for it.

"Come on, Severus," I said, panting, sweat dripping down my face. "This is torture!"

"Say you're sorry," he said tauntingly.

"I'm sorry!" I said immediately. "Now _please_!"

With a deep chuckle he scooped me off the desk and turned me around. I braced myself, holding onto the edge of the desk, as he entered me from behind. This time it was quick and when we were both spent he collapsed back into his chair, pulling me into his lap.

"I love you," I said once I had regained my breath. He smiled and brushed my damp hair out of my face. He kissed me once more and sighed.

"I love you, too."

The start of term came quickly. When it came time for the Hogwarts Express to depart from Hogsmeade to pick up the students, Snape walked me down to the village. Dumbledore had asked that I ride along, for extra protection. I had forgotten that Tonks was supposed to be there until I saw her on the platform. I smiled when I saw her, but she still looked as depressed as she had at the start of the summer. Still, she offered me a weak smile. I turned to say goodbye to Snape.

"I'll see you when I get back," I said to him.

"Yeah, alright," he said stiffly. I could tell he was uncomfortable being around Tonks. I let out a 'hmph', stood on my tiptoes and, very pointedly, kissed him on the cheek. He let out a 'hmph' of his own and turned on his heel and stalked back towards the castle.

"You two fighting again?" Tonks asked as I approached her.

"No, he's just being his usual grouchy self," I said, rolling my eyes. "How've you been?"

"Fine," she said with a shrug. "…I'm stationed in Hogsmeade this year, for extra protection."

"Is it just you?"

"No, a few other Aurors are here as well- Proudfoot, Savage and Dawlish. It's just you and me on the train, though. Reckon Dumbledore thought we could handle it ourselves. …Have you heard from Remus at all?"

I shook my head.

"No. Have you?"

"Not really. Guess it doesn't matter," she said wistfully.

Tonks cheered up a little when we got on the train and it started moving.

"Hard to believe it's been almost a decade since I've been on the Hogwarts Express," she said, grinning as she looked around. "It's just like I remember it!"

We spent most of the ride up front with the driver, which was fun. I'd never been to the front of the train before, I'd always remained in the Slytherin compartment at the rear of the train. It was interesting to see how the steam engine worked.

Tonks got off the train at Kings Cross Station to oversee the students as they were boarding. Looking out the window, I could see a few more Aurors escorting Potter and the Weasley family onto the Platform.

As the train pulled away from the station, Tonks came back up to where I was waiting.

"I think it's best if we move along the train, keep an eye on things," she said to me. "I'll stay towards the front of the train and you head towards the back- those are your people anyway."

She was right, of course. As I reached the Slytherin compartment, trying to look as confident and unconcerned as possible, people began to recognize me. I greeted a few people. To those who asked- and you'd be surprised how many didn't- I said that Dumbledore had offered to let me stay at Hogwarts, for my own protection and to help the Aurors guard the castle. I saw Draco with his friends and, though we had seen each other several times when the Dark Lord called meetings, he ignored me. I wondered what he was planning for his mission. Did he already have something in mind or was he just winging it?

When the train got close to Hogsmeade, I made my way back up to the head of the train. Tonks was waiting for me.

"You can walk with the students back up to the castle," she said. "I'm going to do one last sweep of the train…"

"Okay," I said with a shrug.

I followed the students back up to the castle. I got a carriage all to myself. I kept my wand out and continuously glanced over my shoulder for any sign of anything…conspicuous. But I saw nothing. When we reached the gates of the castle, the carriages stopped and everyone was searched by a couple of Aurors and Filch with a strange wand-shaped object that he waved over everyone. The Aurors had obviously been alerted to my presence, however, because they simply nodded to me and allowed me to go on.

Upon reaching the castle, I decided not to attend the start-of-term feast. After all, there was no real place for me there- I didn't want to sit with the students and I _definitely _didn't want to sit with the teachers. Instead I made my way down to Snape's office to wait for him. I found a couple of house-elves there, tending to the fireplace and dusting. Both looked terrified when I entered and prepared to leave, but I stopped them.

"You don't have to look so frightened of me," I said gently. "I didn't mean to disrupt your work."

"House-elves aren't meant to be seen, miss," said one.

"Nonsense. I used to visit the kitchen all the time and get extra food to feed…stray dogs," I said quietly. This was the first time I had thought of Sirius Black in ages and I felt a pang of sorrow at his death…even if he had annoyed me, he had been a good person.

"I don't suppose you could bring me a plate and something to drink?" I asked the elves. "I'm not going to the feast."

"Of course, miss. We'll be back in just a minute."

When the elves had left I sat down in Snape's chair and put my feet up on his desk to wait.

**Snape's POV**

I was about halfway done eating when I saw a ragged-looking wolf-shaped Patronus come into the Great Hall and approach the staff table. At first I thought it was Olivia's Patronus- my heart skipped a beat, thinking perhaps something had happened to her- but the voice that came out of the beast's mouth was Tonks'.

_Harry Potter was delayed on the train. Meet us at the gate._ Then the beast vanished. I sighed and pushed my plate away. I leaned over and quickly told Dumbledore what had happened. He looked relieved- he had been uneasy ever since the students poured into the hall and we had not seen Potter's face among them.

As I left the castle I sighed and looked up at the sky. It was a beautiful night. I wondered if Olivia was with them or if she had already returned and was in her room.

As I approached the gate, I saw Potter standing beside the miserable-looking Tonks.

"Well, well, well," I sneered as I tapped my wand on the chain that bound the gates and they began to come undone, "Nice of you to turn up, Potter, although you have evidently decided that the wearing of school robes would distract from your appearance."

"I couldn't change, I didn't have my-" Potter began.

"There is no need to wait, Nymphadora, Potter is quite- ah- safe in my hands," I said to the brown-haired woman, eager to get rid of her.

"I meant Hagrid to get the message," she replied, frowning.

"Hagrid was late for the start-of-term feast, just like Potter here, so I took it instead. And incidentally, I was interested to see your new Patronus."

I moved aside to let Potter pass and then shut the gate. I tapped the chain again with my wand and it locked itself again.

"I think you were better off with the old one," I said maliciously, "The new one looks weak."

There was a fleeting look of shock and anger on her face, which I had been aiming for. I turned away from her quickly, triumphant.

"Good night," Potter called over his shoulder to her, "Thanks for…everything."

"See you, Harry," she said miserably.

"Fifty points from Gryffindor for lateness, I think," I said to Potter as we walked back to the castle, "And, let me see, another twenty for your Muggle attire. You know, I don't believe any house has ever been in negative figures this early in the term: We haven't even started pudding. You might have set a record, Potter."

Potter didn't say anything but his fury was apparent. I savored this taunting for a moment before continuing.

"I suppose you wanted to make an entrance, did you?" I continued, "And with no flying car available you decided that bursting into the Great Hall halfway through the feast ought to create a dramatic effect."

Potter still didn't speak. We walked up the steps and through the doors. We paused in the entrance hall where Potter was thinking he might could slip on his invisibility cloak.

"No cloak. You can walk in so that everyone sees you, which is what you wanted, I'm sure," I said to him. Furious, Potter stomped away from me, through the open doors. Every eye in the room was on Potter and I smirked as I returned to my place at the staff table.

A while later Dumbledore got to his feet to address the room as soon as the plates were cleared.

"The very best of evenings to you," he said, smiling with his arms open wide. Everyone in the room saw his blackened hand. A few gasped loudly. Dumbledore merely smiled and shook his sleeve down over the injury.

"Nothing to worry about," he said lightly, "Now…to our new students, welcome, to our old students, welcome back! Another year full of magical education awaits you. Mr. Filch, our caretaker, has asked me to say that there is a blanket ban on any joke items bought at the shop called Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.

"Those wishing to play for their House Quidditch teams should give their names to their Heads of House as usual. We are also looking for new Quidditch commentators, who should do likewise.

"We are pleased to welcome a new member of the staff this year. Professor Slughorn is a former colleague of mine who has agreed to resume his old post of Potions master."

The while hall broke out in muttering as everyone was unsure if they'd heard right. I smiled inwardly.

"Professor Snape, meanwhile, will be taking over the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," Dumbledore continued over the noise.

"No!" said Potter loudly from the Gryffindor Table, not caring that a number of people heard him and were staring at him. I glared at him, but even Potter couldn't bring me down. There was nothing he could do about the appointment anyway. The Slytherin Table broke out in cheers and applause and I raised my hand in lazy acknowledgment.

Dumbledore cleared his throat loudly and the chatter began to die out. He waited until there was absolute silence before continuing.

"Now, as everybody in this hall knows, Lord Voldemort and his followers are once more at large and gaining in strength. I cannot emphasize strongly enough how dangerous the present situation is, and how much care each of us at Hogwarts must take to ensure that we remain safe. The castle's magical fortifications have been strengthened over the summer, we are protected in new and more powerful ways, but we must still guard scrupulously against carelessness on the part of any student or member of staff. I urge you, therefore, to abide by any security restrictions that your teachers might impose upon you, however irksome you might find them- in particular, the rule that you are not to be out of bed after hours. I implore you, should you notice anything strange or suspicious within or outside the castle, to report it to a member of staff immediately. I trust you to conduct yourselves, always, with the utmost regard for your own and others' safety.

"But now, your beds await, as warm and comfortable as you could possibly wish, and I know that your top priority is to be well-rested for your lessons tomorrow. Let us therefore say goodnight. Pip pip!"

I was eager to go and find Olivia and left the staff table without hanging around to chat- not that I ever did. I had just made it out of the Great Hall when a voice from behind stopped me.

"Severus, my boy, how are you?" called a booming voice. I cringed, then forced a smile and turned to see my old Potions teacher.

"Professor Slughorn," I said. "I'm fine. How are you?"

"Good, good…though I certainly didn't think I'd find myself teaching again! And call me Horace, Severus, we're equals now. How have you enjoyed my old job?"

"Well enough," I said with a shrug. "The students, well, they're mostly idiots when it comes to Potions…but the few who have a real knack for it make it really worth it."

I was thinking, of course, of Olivia.

"That was always my philosophy as well," he said with a chuckle. "Why don't you come up and have a cup of tea? We can discuss the classes, there's a few students I'd love to talk about…"

"I've got something I need to check on first…Horace. Perhaps in a minute?"

"I'll be waiting," he promised and started up the stairs.

"Oh and Horace?" I called and he stopped. "…Mind if I bring someone?"

"By all means," he said curiously, then continued up the stairs.

**Olivia's POV**

I was lounging in Snape's chair, reading one of his books, when his door opened. He took a moment to look me over. I had my feet up on his desk and didn't attempt to stop him from looking up my skirt.

"Nice," he said with a smirk, shutting the door behind him. "How was the train ride?"

"Boring," she said with a shrug. "And Tonks is so…depressed."

"I know. I saw her just a moment ago."

"What? Where?" I asked.

"Apparently, Potter was…delayed on the train. She escorted him up to the castle."

"Aw, something happened and I _missed _it? What delayed him?" I demanded.

"Draco, I believe. Potter's nose was broken."

"I always miss the good stuff," I grumbled.

"Her Patronus has changed. Did you know?" I asked her.

"No. I didn't know they could change."

"Yes, very rarely, due to a…heavy emotional blow or traumatic event."

"What's her Patronus?"

"A wolf. It looks like yours, only more ragged."

I scowled at this.

"I wish _mine _would change," I said with a sigh.

"I think perhaps yours was meant to be a wolf," he offered. "…It does suit your personality."

"You think?" I asked with a smile, getting up out of his chair. He allowed me to kiss him once, then clasped my hands in his.

"There's someone I'd like you to meet," he said.

"Who?" I asked, frowning.

"Horace Slughorn has invited us for tea."

I followed Snape curiously up the stairs to the office usually occupied by the Defense teacher. We passed McGonagall on the stairs who smiled and nodded when she saw me. She had been a lot nicer to me ever since I'd helped heal her in St. Mungo's.

"So, why exactly does he get the good office?" I asked curiously as we headed down the corridor.

"Because it was one of his conditions on returning as a teacher and because I _like _my office," he replied. "It's…homey. And it's close to you."

This made me smile and I was still smiling when he knocked on Slughorn's door. The door was opened by a large, walrus-looking man. He beamed at us.

"Come in, come in, Severus," he said. "And who is this you've brought?"

"This is my…cousin, Olivia Cain. She graduated last year, but Dumbledore offered her a place to stay, since…well, it isn't really safe for a young woman to stay home alone. Here, I can keep an eye on her," Snape said, smiling when he saw me scowling at him.

"He's right, you know. These are mad times we live in. Pleased to meet you, Miss Cain. I'm Horace Slughorn," he said, shaking my hand.

"Olivia is by far the brightest Potions student I ever had the pleasure of teaching," Snape said, causing me to blush faintly. "She was my apprentice from her second year, up until she graduated."

"A pity you had to graduate, right before I came to teach," Slughorn said disappointedly. "I would have loved to see you at work. It's always a thrill to come across someone with a passion for Potions."

"If you ever need any help with anything, I'd be glad to assist," I offered quickly. "I used to help Severus teach some of the younger classes."

"She's quite capable," Snape assured him.

"I might just take you up on that offer," Slughorn said. "It's been ages since the last time I taught and it might take me a while to get back into the swing of things."

We sat and sipped tea with Slughorn for a while. I was content just to sit back and listen as they discussed various students, including Potter. Slughorn seemed disheartened to hear the boy was a menace at Potions, but it was true. They talked about other students- who had potential, who was hopeless- and Slughorn talked a little about the old days, though Snape seemed uncomfortable with this. Though I didn't speak much, I could tell Slughorn liked me immensely.

"Who were your parents, Olivia?" he asked as he poured me another cup of tea. "You said you were Severus' cousin?"

"Yes, sir. Ellen Cain was my mother. …I never knew my father," I said.

"Oh, Ellen, I remember her. Not particularly outstanding at Potions, but always had her nose in a book, that girl did. How is she?"

"She died," I said somewhat coolly. "Several years ago."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, my dear," Slughorn said, meaning it. He put his hand on my arm sympathetically.

"It's okay," I said with a shrug. "Severus was kind enough to take me in when I didn't have anywhere else to go."

"Oho! So _that's _where you get your talent for Potions?"

"I take no credit for that, Horace. She was talented before I got her," Snape said with a smile. "…It's getting rather late, isn't it?"

"So it is!" Slughorn exclaimed. "I'm still not used to having to get up so early and prepare for classes. Olivia, why don't you come around tomorrow afternoon? You could help me with my first years."

"I'd be delighted, sir," I said as we stood to leave.

"Excellent! I look forward to it," he said, smiling.

I followed Snape out of Slughorn's office and we started back down to the dungeons.

"Not going to steal you away from me, is he?" Snape teased lightly.

"Ew," I said, wrinkling my nose. "No thank you!"

He laughed at me.

"Want to see my new classroom?" he asked, smiling wickedly. I nodded eagerly. He had strictly forbidden me from coming into his classroom until he was finished decorating it. When we reached the bottom of the stairs, instead of going into the dungeons, we slipped down the corridor that led to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.

There were no teacher's quarters down this corridor, just the empty Muggle Studies classroom. It was completely silent, almost like we had the whole castle to ourselves. Snape opened the door to the Defense classroom using a spell and used his wand to light the candles. I peeked around him into the classroom and gasped.

Thick black curtains had been drawn over the windows so that, even if it had been daytime, no light would have shown through. Gruesome pictures were hung on the wall, depicting the effects of various curses. There were books on the Dark Arts lining the shelves, some of them I recognized from home.

"Wow," I said in awe. "It's so…Dark. And scary. You're going to make some poor first year wet their pants."

"Well, that _is _the point," he said sardonically. "Not the pants-wetting part, but…They should be scared. We live in scary times."

"True."

I went over to his desk and sat down with my feet up on his desk. It was the same chair and desk that had been in the room when it had been Lupin's classroom. This prompted several memories of the two of us in his classroom, doing things on his desk… I bit my lip and glanced at Snape, hoping he hadn't noticed my thoughts, but he was walking around his classroom, looking at the paintings.

"Want to hear my course introduction speech?" he asked, looking at me with a wicked grin. "Since you won't be able to attend any of my classes this year…"

"Ooh, yeah!" I said enthusiastically. He motioned for me to get up out of his chair and go sit in one of the student desks. I obeyed, sitting in the desk directly in the front of the classroom.

"The Dark Arts," said Snape, moving swiftly across the classroom. "Are many, varied, and ever-changing, and eternal. Fighting them is like fighting a many-headed monster, which, each time a neck is severed, sprouts a head even fiercer and cleverer than before. You are fighting that which is unfixed, mutating, indestructible. Your defenses must therefore be as flexible and inventive as the arts you seek to undo. These pictures give a fair representation of what happens to those who suffer, for instance, the Cruciatus Curse, feel the Dementor's Kiss, or provoke the aggression of the Inferius."

A chill crept up my spine and I shivered delightedly. I smirked and he lost his concentration.

"From there I segue into nonverbal spells," he said. "What do you think?"

"I think you look…_extremely _sexy when you talk about the Dark Arts," I said in a sultry voice. "_Professor_."

"It's not supposed to be sexy, it's supposed to be ominous," he said, rolling his eyes at me.

I licked my lips and looked him over, wondering if he would let me…

"Although," he said, catching my eye and grinning. "I guess I could work with sexy…"

I stayed seated in the little desk and he came up behind me. He began to kiss my neck and I let out a small gasp as I felt him nip me in what was sure to leave a mark in the morning. I felt him smirk against my skin.

"Stand up," he commanded. I did as told and he pulled me into him, kissing me hungrily.

"I love it when you tell me what to do," I said, biting his lower lip. He raised an eyebrow at me, then glanced towards the door. He pulled out his wand and waved it, casting several nonverbal enchantments. Then he laid his wand on a desk and put his hands on my hips, kissing me again. I could feel his growing arousal.

"Get on your knees," he said in that amazing dark voice of his. I shivered delightedly and dropped to my knees on the hard floor. I didn't wait to be told- I quickly undid his pants and released his hard cock. I suppressed the urge to take it in my mouth immediately, beloved plaything of mine that it was. I looked up at him, waiting for instructions.

"Suck me," he hissed. I eagerly obeyed, flicking my tongue over the head several times, tasting what I had come to love so dearly. Then I took him as far in my mouth as I could and looked up at him. He was watching me and he moaned softly when we made eye contact. I made a moaning noise of my own, knowing how amazing that would feel. I was right- he let out a little hiss and I felt him stiffen in my mouth even more. Slowly I moved back so that only the head of his cock was in my mouth. I swirled my tongue around the tip, then licked along the length of him, my hands at the base of his cock, lightly massaging his balls.

When I felt him pulse, he stepped away from me, taking his cock with him. I made a pouty face and looked up at him. He sat on the edge of his desk.

"Come here," he demanded. I bounced up eagerly and when I got close enough he grabbed me and kissed me roughly. I squealed delightedly when he pulled my shirt off over my head. My breasts were spilling out of the top of my black lacy bra and he quickly freed them. He fondled them as he kissed me, pinching lightly. Then he lowered his head and began to kiss and suck them. Then he nipped me gently, leaving a mark identical to the one on my neck. He lowered his hands and slipped them under my skirt, then stopped in surprise.

"You're not wearing any underwear," he growled in my ear. "That's very naughty of you, little witch."

I giggled and started to shimmy out of my little black skirt, but he stopped me.

"Leave it on," he breathed. I grinned wickedly and he lifted me up onto the desk with him. I placed my legs on either side of his waist. His cock stood at attention, mere inches from my opening, begging to be let in, but I waited for him to tell me.

"Lower yourself on to me," he commanded; then, without really giving me a chance to do it myself, he put his hands on my waist and thrust into me. I was wet and ready for him- I had been ready since before he finished his little speech. I wondered vaguely how long he had been working on that, but didn't have much time to ponder it as he told me to ride him- as if I needed telling!

We went at it into the wee hours of the morning. Finally, we exhausted ourselves and, after catching my breath, I began to locate my clothes. Snape glanced at the clock.

"I have class in two hours," he groaned.

"Yeah, whose fault is that?" I smirked. "You brought me down here and seduced me."

"I was just testing out my speech, I had no intentions of seducing you… At least, not conscious ones."

"By the way, how long have you been working on that speech?" I asked curiously.

"Years," he said, sliding open a drawer and pulling out a little black, leather-bound notebook. He opened it to a page and showed me where the speech was written down- several parts had been crossed out and rewritten.

"What is that, a diary?" I asked.

"No!" he said defensively. "…It's a journal…of sorts."

"You keep a diary and I don't know about it? How do I not know about it? Can I read it? What's in here?"

"_Journal_," he said emphatically. "And…no."

"Why, what do you write about?"

"Just stuff…Whatever pops into my head… sometimes potions stuff, sometimes just ramblings…quotes, dreams…"

He flipped absently through the book as he spoke. I was dying to know what was in it…but if he didn't want me to read it, I wouldn't.

"Well, now that you've piqued my interest, Mr. Mysterious, with your mysterious diary…I'm going to bed," I said, crossing my arms and sticking my tongue out at him. I headed for the door.

"_Journal_," he said forcefully, hurrying out after me.


	55. After Hogwarts Year 1 Chapter 6

**Snape's POV**

Throughout classes the next day I felt exceptionally irritable due to lack of sleep, but tried to make the most of it. I was finally teaching my favorite subject…not to mention the fact that every time I looked at my desk, I thought of Olivia and smiled. I didn't see her at lunchtime and when she didn't come up to dinner, I got worried. I leaned over to Slughorn.

"Did you see Olivia today, Horace?" I asked quietly, hoping nobody would overhear.

"Oh yes, she came by earlier. She helped clean up after my sixth-years, then stayed and assisted with my second and third years. She's quite the talented witch. Speaking of talented- I had my sixth years brewing Draught of the Living Death and you'll never guess who surprised us all and won the prize?"

I didn't respond because his words made me think of another time, in another class of his, when I was a sixth year. He had us attempt to brew the Draught of Living Death. I hadn't gotten it on the first try, but Lily had. She'd won the bottle of Felix Felicis, which I had so desperately wanted. Slughorn said she had been the only student he had ever had who had been able to brew a potion well enough to win the prize.

"-Harry Potter," Slughorn said. I jerked out of my reverie.

"Potter?" I said, unsure I had heard correctly.

"Yes, he brewed it almost flawlessly. Clearly, the boy's inherited some of his mother's talent."

"Interesting," I said through clenched teeth. "All Potter managed to do in my class was get detention."

I pushed my dinner around my plate a few more minutes before getting up and leaving the Great Hall.

I went down to the dungeons and knocked on Olivia's door.

"Yes?" came a voice from within. I opened the door and walked in to find her sitting at her desk, eating a plate of food and reading a book. I shut the door behind me and sat on the edge of her bed.

"Why weren't you at dinner? Or lunch?" I asked.

"Because…there's not really a place for me up there, is there? I mean, I'm not a student, but I'm also not a staff member."

"Oh. I guess I hadn't really thought of that."

"It's okay. I don't mind eating by myself… How was your first day teaching Defense?" she asked, dog-earing the book she was reading and closing it. She turned in her chair to face me.

"Good," I replied. "Excellent, really. I gave Potter detention."

"What for?" she asked, grinning.

"Being cheeky," I snorted. I repeated the scene for her and she laughed.

"Wow," she said. "What are you going to have him do for his detention?"

"I don't know yet," I said grimly. "But it'll be good."

"Heh. Any outstanding students?"

"Some were surprisingly good…and most of the good ones were from Potter's little club last year, that Dumbledore's Army."

"Guess Potter is good at something."

"He's lucky, nothing more. …Horace said he brewed the Draught of Living Death on his first try. He had to have been cheating, I just can't figure out how. Granger I could see brewing the potion, but I doubt she would let anyone take credit for her work-"

"I forgot you have a thing for Granger," Olivia said teasingly.

"I do NOT 'have a thing for Granger'," I scoffed. "I've merely noticed she is a talented witch and she loves to take credit for that, especially in potions."

"Trying to impress you, I'm sure," she replied.

"I am not so easily impressed, especially with her little miss know-it-all attitude."

She grinned at me and I glanced at my watch.

"They'll be leaving the Great Hall soon. I should go," I said.

"Yeah," she said with a heavy sigh. I crossed the room and kissed her swiftly.

**Author's Note: **Okay, you guys are going to hate me…but I have to skip ahead some. It's the only way I'm going to be able to get done with this 1,000+ page fanfic. I know this is like the worst thing a writer can do (I didn't even end it at a good place!) but I have to. Just please don't stop reading cuz it gets really awesome. So, for the sake of time (and the fact that I have about 100 pages of this handwritten already) and so you guys don't have to wait so long for updates, I am going to skip forward to the end of sixth year…

**Olivia's POV**

I spent most of my days and nights walking the grounds of Hogwarts and helping patrol the hallways, sometimes with Snape, sometimes with Tonks or other members of the Order. Dumbledore was nervous, which made Snape nervous, which made _me _nervous.

One evening I was in my room when there was a knock on my door.

"Come in, Severus," I said as I fastened my cloak around my shoulders. He opened the door.

"How did you know it was me?" he asked.

"I don't get many visitors. I'm about to walk the perimeter of the grounds, care to join me?"

"I'd love to…but Albus wants to see us in his office. Both of us."

"Why?"

"He didn't say… You don't think he _knows_, do you? About us?"

"I think he _does _know, or at least suspects, but he doesn't care. It doesn't matter."

"It matters to me," he muttered.

"Come on then, let's go see. I doubt he wants to talk about _that _anyway, with so much tension in the air."

"You're probably right," he agreed.

Dumbledore was sitting at his desk when we reached his office, looking grave…but he _always _looked grave these days.

"Hello Severus…Olivia," he said, nodding to me.

"You wished to see us, headmaster?" Snape asked, sitting down.

"Yes. I wanted to make sure you would both be here this evening."

"Of course. Are you leaving again?"

"Yes. Hopefully for only a few hours… I'm taking Harry with me."

Snape and I exchanged surprised looks.

"If all goes well…" Dumbledore continued. "Well, I'll need you on hand either way, Severus."

Dumbledore got up and walked over to the window and looked out at the sky.

"A storm may not be the only thing brewing tonight," he said quietly. "If it comes down to it… the thing we have been waiting for…are you both prepared?"

I looked at Snape, who had paled considerably at the reminder of the task he would have to perform. I wanted to take his hand, to reassure him, but knew he wouldn't let me in front of Dumbledore. He caught my eye, but his face betrayed no emotion.

"Yes headmaster," we both said heavily.

"If it happens… I will likely be forced to flee," Snape said. "If someone sees. …Olivia will remain behind, act as if she knew nothing of my plans, and hopefully the Order will still use her as a spy."

"They will trust her, I believe. If it is one thing I have tried to impart upon them- upon everyone- is to always believe the best of people," Dumbledore said.

"Which will seem foolish to them if I am forced to kill you. I , whom you have always trusted, when no one else trusts me," Snape said.

I accidentally let out a snort and Dumbledore turned around. He smiled slightly at me, the first time I'd seen him smile in a long time.

"Severus, I believe there is someone in this room, other than myself, who trusts you completely," he said.

"Always have," I said.

Snape looked at me somewhat sheepishly.

"Of course. Sorry," he said briefly.

I smiled at him.

Dumbledore turned back to the window with a sigh.

"Perhaps I am wrong- it has been known to happen on occasion. …You two may go. I've already sent word for Harry to come up. Just be alert."

"Yes sir," Snape said.

We left Dumbledore's office and started down the stairs.

"…What happens if- after- they don't believe me?" I asked quietly when we were almost back to the dungeons.

"We will need to meet up somewhere, regardless of if they believe you or not. We won't be able to go home. We'll have to meet somewhere no one can find us…"

We were both silent for a while, thinking.

"…Do you remember that spot on the coast where we camped, a long time ago?" I asked. He smirked slightly at the memory.

"That was not so long ago," he said.

"It feels like it to me. It's been so long since we've been able to relax like that…"

He gazed at me softly.

"We will meet there, then," he said. "Afterwards. No matter what."

"Agreed," I said with a nod.

**Snape's POV**

Olivia and I took our walk around the perimeter of the grounds in perpetual silence. We saw Lupin and Mad-Eye come through the gates and enter the castle, followed a few moments later by a depressed-looking Tonks. She lifted her hand in greeting to Olivia, who merely nodded in response. When it got dark out, Olivia walked a little closer to me and slipped her small, cold hand in mine.

"…Severus, I'm scared," she whispered quietly, almost inaudibly. I squeezed her hand tightly and brought it to my lips and kissed it gently. I didn't know what to say. There wasn't anything I could say to make her feel better. I couldn't tell her not to be afraid- that would be stupid. She _should _be afraid- _I _was afraid.

I stopped walking and took her in my arms. I kissed her forehead and just held her close to me. I could feel her heart fluttering in her chest.

"Come on- let's go back to my office," I said softly, my lips still pressed against her forehead.

"But shouldn't we stay and watch the perimeter?"

"Remus and Mad-Eye can cover it-"

"Or Remus and Tonks. Let's ask Remus and Tonks," she said quickly. I looked down at her and- as much as the idea of the werewolf and the Metamorphmagus copulating disgusted me- I smiled.

"Okay my little cupid," I said and kissed her again.

When we entered the castle we immediately spotted Lupin, alone on the stairs.

"Hey Remus, come here," Olivia said. She hurried up and met him halfway. I stayed behind, but could still hear what they said.

"Hey, I need a favor," she said.

"Anything."

"Can you and Tonks patrol the perimeter for a while?"

"Well…sure. But why?" he asked curiously.

"Severus and I need some time…alone," she replied. I winced.

"Oh. Ew. Sorry I asked," he said with a grin.

"Oh shut up," she said. "Where's Tonks?"

"Corridors of the second floor. I'll get her," Lupin said and turned to go back up the stairs.

"Did you have to tell him _that_?" I asked when she came back down.

"Kept him from asking too many questions," she said with a shrug.

Although we'd had no intention of doing what she'd told Lupin, when we reached my office one thing led to another and we ended up doing…_it_. First against the door, then the desk, then the floor. It made us forget about what the night may have in store. In our frenzy, I somehow forgot to employ my usual protective enchantments. Olivia and I lay naked and exhausted by the fireplace when Flitwick came bursting through the door, screaming about Death Eaters in the castle. We both grabbed our wands and I instinctively slamemd the door shut. Olivia Stupified an astonished Flitwick, who fell, hitting his head on the desk.

"Shit, shit, shit," I said, scrambling to get dressed.

"Did I do okay?" she asked, biting her lip.

"Yeah. Yeah. Can you- Memory Charm?" I said, fingers trembling while I tried to fasten my buttons. She nodded and pointed her wand at Flitwick.

"_Obliviate_," she said quickly.

"Oh my god. I can't…I don't think I can do this," I said, feeling, for the first time in a long time, full-blown panic.

"Yes you can. You made a promise to a friend- you swore on your life. You are doing this for Dumbledore, for Potter, for the Order, for Draco…and all those other things Dumbledore said. Just remember…and I'll be there with you-"

"Oh no you won't," I interrupted quickly. "It's too dangerous. The Death Eaters will be expecting you to help us. The Order will be expecting you to help them. You could get seriously hurt. Besides… I don't want you to see…that."

"Fine, well, what do you propose I do?" she asked, crossing her arms across her bare chest.

"First- get dressed. Apply your Disillusionment Charm and go to your room until it's over."

She dressed in silence and I waited until she had applied her Disillusionment Charm before opening the door. I was startled to find an anxious-looking Granger and Luna Lovegood, but betrayed no surprise.

"Professor Flitwick collapsed- you girls go look after him while I go help in the fight," I said without missing a beat, quickly stepping past them.

I hurried up out of the dungeons, wand in hand, hoping, _praying _that Olivia had listened to me…though her room door did not open as I hurried past it.

**Olivia's POV**

Snape should have known I would not sit idly by while he was in danger. I kept my mind barricaded as I followed him out of the dungeons. His black cloak billowed behind him as he ran up the marble staircase.

It was easy to see things were not going well when we reached the fight. One of the Death Eaters was out cold on the floor, mask and robes askew. One of the Order was in bloody shreds on the floor- it looked like one of the Weasleys. I had to stop myself from pausing to help or at least see if he were alive. Snape was still moving through the action, spells were being fired in every direction. I kept low and didn't draw any attention to myself…but I did deflect a spell that Amycus the Death Eater cast and kept it from hitting Ginny Weasley.

I saw Neville Longbottom running at the stairs, which had a barrier cast over it. Longbottom hit the barrier and was thrown backwards into the air. One of the Death Eaters ran through the barrier, unharmed. Snape took the initiative and also ran through. I followed close behind. The Mark on my arm tingled slightly as I passed through, unharmed.

Snape stopped just outside of the door to the Astronomy Tower, which was slightly ajar. An eerie green glow came from outside. We listened intently.

"Draco do it or stand aside so one of us-" Alecto screeched.

Snape took a deep breath and burst through the door, me on his heels.

I quickly observed the scene before us- the Mark in the sky, casting a green glow over everything; Dumbledore slumped against the wall looking weaker and more haggard than I had ever seen him; Draco, his wand held in a white-knuckle grip, looking terrified; Amycus, Alecto and Fenrir the werewolf backing Draco. A quick sweep with my mind and I could tell Potter was there, immobilized beneath his invisibility cloak.

"We've got a problem, Snape," said Amycus. "The boy doesn't seem able-"

"Severus…"Dumbledore said quietly, weakly, though effectively silencing Amycus.

Snape stood, transfixed, staring at Dumbledore. I stood, worried that he wouldn't be able to do it. Worried that, if he didn't do it, he would break the Unbreakable Vow. He would die.

**Snape's POV**

_If I don't do this, I am going to die_, I thought to myself, my mind reeling. If this was going to work, I had to mean it. If I didn't mean it, the spell might not work, like the Cruciatus Cures. If I didn't mean it, the others would be able to tell.

And Potter. I could tell he was being held by a spell, under his Invisibility Cloak. He would see. I could imagine those emerald green eyes, staring at me in betrayal and hatred…again. And Olivia. I knew she was there, too, I wasn't an in idiot. Now she would have to see me kill…

Dumbledore. This was all his fault. Everything. I masked my face in hatred and stepped forward, pushing Draco out of the way. The other Death Eaters and the werewolf backed away silently.

I stopped and gazed at him, my face a mask. Inside, my heart was pounding and I felt a bit nauseated.

"Severus…please…" Dumbledore said.

_I hate you for this_, I thought to myself as I aimed my wand at his heart.

"_Avada Kedavra_," I said, my voice a growl.

A jet of green light hit him square in the chest and I couldn't tear my eyes away as he was blasted into the air. He hung in the air a moment, beneath the bright green skull someone had foolishly cast in the sky. Then he fell, slowly, out of sight.

Everyone stood there in stunned silence while my brain screamed _flee _and my body refused to move. I heard a blast from downstairs and adrenaline coursed through me.

"Out of here, quickly," I said, grabbing Draco by the scruff of his neck and forcing him out ahead of me. We hurried down the darkened stairs to the dust-filled room where the battle still raged. Half the ceiling seemed to have fallen or been blasted in.

"It's over, time to go!" I shouted, still pushing the boy ahead of me as I headed for the door.

I didn't know how the others had gotten in and I didn't stop to ask. The only thing I knew to do was the head for the gates.

It was cold out, but I was numb to it. I didn't even stop running when Hagrid came out of his cabin and started shooting spells at the Death Eaters behind me with his umbrella. Alecto stopped to toy with Hagrid. I kept running until I heard Potter's voice yell _Stupefy _and a red jet of light shot past my head.

_There it is_, I thought to myself.

"Run, Draco!" I said, pushing the boy ahead of me and turning back to face Potter.

_He _should _kill me, I deserve it_, I thought.

"Cruc-" the boy began but I deflected the spell and knocked the boy off his feet. He got back up as Alecto set Hagrid's house on fire.

"Cruc-"

"No Unforgivable Curses from you, Potter! You haven't got the nerve or the ability-"

"_Incarce-_" he started but I deflected it again.

"Fight back!" he screamed. "Fight back, you cowardly-"

"Coward, did you call me, Potter?" I shouted, my blood boiling. "Your father would never attack me unless it was four on one, what would you call him, I wonder?"

"_Stupe-_"

"Blocked again and again and again until you learn to keep your mouth shut and your mind closed, Potter!" I sneered, deflecting his curses again.

"Now _come_!" I shouted to Alecto. "I t is time to be gone, before the Ministry turns uo-"

"_Impedi_-" Potter began but before I could even deflect his spill, he hit the ground, writhing and screaming.

"No!" I shouted to the Death Eater cursing him. "Have you forgotten our orders? Potter belongs to the Dark Lord- we are to leave him! Go! Go!"

Alecto and Amycus obeyed, running to the gates, but I stayed behind, wanting to see if Potter was okay and make sure everyone else got out okay. I was also looking for Olivia. I thought I saw a flsah near the flames of Hagrid's house where his hound was trapped inside.

"_Sectum-_!"

I turned back towards Potter furiously, deflecting the spell. I could tell he was about to perform Levicorpus.

"No, Potter!" I shouted, blasting him off his feet, this time effectively Disarming him. "You _dare _use my own spells against me, Potter? It was I who invented them- I, the Half-Blood Prince! And you'd turn my inventions on me, like your filthy father, would you? I don't think so… no!"

I shot at spell at his wand, knocking it well out of his reach.

"Kill me then," Potter panted, full of rage. "Kill me like you killed him, you coward-"

"DON'T CALL ME A COWARD!" I bellowed and hit him across the face with a Stinging Hex. All of a sudden something enormous hit me. Razor-sharp talons tore at my flesh. At first I thought werewolf, but it wasn't the full moon. I heard feathers rustling and knew it was a hippogriff.

_ I should just let it kill me_, I thought morosely…but I had a job to do. I turned and ran to the gate. Once outside, I turned and looked back out the castle, wondering how long it would be before I saw it again. Then I Disapparated.

**Olivia's POV**

My charm wore off as I emerged from the flames of Hagrid's house carrying Fang, just in time to see Snape run out of the gate and Disapparate. I set the dog down and started back towards the castle, coughing, my eyes watering from the smoke.

When I reached the castle, I could see a crowd beginning to form around Dumbledore's body. I couldn't stand to look. I collapsed on the ground on the other side of the steps and closed my eyes. I was completely exhausted, mentally, physically and emotionally, but I was still started to find that I had fallen asleep.

I awoke several hours later cold and alone. The Mark was gone from the sky and the grounds were empty. I heard the sound of someone sobbing quietly and lifted my head to see Lupin holding Tonks in his arms. She was sobbing and he had silent tears streaming down his face, his eyes closed. I opened my mouth to say something but was overcome by a fit of violent coughing. I startled the couple and they broke apart to look over the banister where I was hacking.

"Olivia!" they both said in surprise, then looked at each other uncertainly. I coughed so hard I began to retch. I rolled onto my hands and knees and promptly vomited. At that point, they both came down the steps.

Tonks helped me up and Lupin wiped my face with a handkerchief. I stumbled away from my puddle of vomit.

"W-what happened?" I wheezed, leaning against a tree. They exchanged glances.

"Well…what do you know?" Lupin asked.

"S-Severus left me," I said, thinking quickly. "He pushed me… What happened?"

"Olivia," Tonks said quietly, placing a hand on my shoulder. Her eyes full of tears, she looked to Lupin for help.

"Snape killed Dumbledore," he said softly.

'W-what?" I said, slumping back against the tree. I allowed tears to form in my eyes. They both stood there anxiously, uncertain. I could tell they wanted to believe me.

"Dumbledore…" I repeated softly, letting the tears fall. "…W-what am I going to do? I thought he loved me. After all I did…the Order…the Dark Lord…"

I pulled up the sleeve of my robes and stared at the Mark. I rubbed it furiously, as if to erase it.

"I was a spy for Dumbledore…and if I don't go back…they'll find me. They'll kill me. …What am I going to do?" I asked in a terrified voice. They looked helplessly at one another.

"McGonagall," Lupin said firmly. "We have to take you to see McGonagall."

Tonks nodded and they helped me to my feet. Tears still streaming down my face, I allowed my friends to lead my up to McGonagall's office. In my mind, I was congratulating myself for playing it so well.

Mad-Eye and several other members of the Order were sitting in her office with her, talking quietly. All talk ceased when I entered the room. Mad-Eye leapt to his feet.

"What is _she _doing here?" he demanded, both mismatched eyes trained on me. "Everyone knows she was _his _little pet. We've no reason to trust her!"

"Calm down, Alastor," McGonagall said sharply. "Remus…what _is _she doing here?"

I looked to Lupin, who nodded at me.

"S-Severus left me. I didn't know he-he… He pushed me out of the way, down the stairs, and I was knocked out-"

"Lies!" Moody barked.

"Quiet, Alastor," McGonagall said sharply and looked at me to continue.

"I thought he loved me…" I said and shook my head. "I came to you because…because I don't know what else to do. I was a spy because Dumbledore asked- no, because Severus was one and there was no way for me to escape the Dark Lord's notice. I- I can't go back…but if I don't…they'll hunt me down and kill me. …What do I do?" I asked, sounding desperate.

"We don't need any more _damned _spies!" Moody snarled.

"_Alastor_," McGonagall said wearily, but sternly. "…We'll discuss it, Olivia. Wait outside, please."

"Yes, Professor," I said, eyes cast down. Lupin put a hand on my shoulder as I passed, then shut the door behind me. I slumped to the floor in the hallway to await the verdict.

**Snape's POV**

I sat, feeling like a zombie, as everyone recounted the night's events to the Dark Lord. I found out the others had gotten in through the Vanishing Cabinet in the Room of Requirement. They had shot the Mark off to draw Albus back to the castle quicker. Greyback had attacked Bill Weasley and thought he was dead.

I told my part of the story in a seemingly non-caring voice. After ridiculing Draco for his inability to perform, the Dark Lord asked about Olivia.

"She remained behind, my Lord, in an attempt to stay with the Order. We thought it may be beneficial to you in the future, if you need to find them…"

"Very good," He said. "When are you meeting up with her?"

"Later tonight if I may, my lord, at a secret location."

"And are you sure we can continue to trust her, Severus?" He asked thoughtfully.

"Of course my lord," I said immediately, though I was a bit taken aback at his question. "She will do whatever I tell her…she is mine."

"Do you love her?" He asked simply.

"I- my Lord?"

"Do you love her?" He repeated.

"Well…yes," I said, knowing it was pointless to lie about something like that to Him. Several of the others sniggered and I glowered at them.

"Then that is good enough for me, Severus," He said and got off the subject.

When He finally allowed us to leave, I went straight to the place where I had agreed to meet Olivia. She had not yet arrived. A quick sweep ensured I was alone on the coast. I wanted very badly to hit something, to let out the hurt that was building inside of me. I ran up the beach to the nearest tree and began pummeling it with my fists until I felt blood beginning to trickle down my hands. I ran back, into the roaring, crashing waves, until I was up to my waist. Then I screamed, roaring my pain and frustration into the cold, unfeeling night.

**Olivia's POV**

"Severus?" I said quietly, approaching the water. He lifted his head and turned to look at me. He said nothing. His face was wet- with tears or seawater, I could not tell. Probably a combination of both. I waded into the water and took his hand in mine. I let him back to the beach and made him sit in the sand while I made a small fire. By the light of the fire, I saw there was blood on my hand. Looking down, I saw it was from Snape's bloodied knuckles.

"What did you do?" I asked, kneeling beside him to examine his wounds.

"I murdered my best friend," he said, his voice low and hoarse.

"Oh hush," I said. "You didn't murder him. He told you to do it. You were doing him a favor- he would not have lasted the Summer."

He said nothing, eyes cast down, not looking at me. I continued to work on his hands, cleaning the wounds and using a little of the Dittany I had in my bag. I had just finished his hands when I noticed his torn robes. I lifted his shirt to see deep wounds that had been hastily, poorly bandaged. Blood was seeping through the bandages.

"What happened here?" I asked. "A spell?"

"Hippogriff," he said, wincing. "You didn't see?"

"I was saving Hagrid's dog from the fire," I replied. "You've lost a lot of blood- I need you to lie down and let me fix these."

"What's the point?" he said morosely. "You should just let me die- it's no more than I deserve."

"Don't talk like that," I said, frowning.

He didn't respond, but allowed me to remove his shirt and lay him down on a blanket I summoned up.

He lay silent for the most part as I tended to his wounds. When I finished the hippogriff slashes on his chest, I examined every inch of the rest of his body for injuries.

"Does it hurt anywhere else?" I asked him. He lifted his right hand and placed it on his bare chest, over his heart. With tears in my eyes, I kissed the spot.


End file.
